Martin Truex, Jr. Breaks Long Winless Streak

Finally, Martin Truex, Jr. is back in victory lane. He ended a 218-race winless streak with a convincing win in the season’s first road course race at Sonoma Raceway in California. He led 51 of 110 laps for just his second career Sprint Cup victory and at the finish he had an 8.3 second lead over second-place Jeff Gordon.

His only other win came six years ago at Dover. Since that victory at Dover Truex had come in second six times.

Following Gordon, Carl Edwards came in third with Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer completed the Top 5. Bowyer won last year’s race at Sonoma and is Truex’s teammate at Michael Waltrip Racing.

Juan Pablo Montoya had been running second behind Truex but ran out of gas on the last lap and finished 34th.

So with ten races left until the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship begins, Jimmie Johnson remains on top of the standings, 25 points up on Carl Edwards and with his victory Truex moves into the Top 10 and puts him in good shape for a wild card if he needs it.

Next up on the schedule – Kentucky Speedway.