Credit: 309607Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images. Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Starting from 3rd place Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet won the 34th Annual Axalta We Paint Winners 400, his 3rd win in 347 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is Martin Truex Jr.’s 1st win & 13th Top 10 finish in 2015. With the win, Truex ends a 69-race winless drought. This is his 1st win & 7th Top 10 finish in 19 races at Pocono Raceway. His previous best Pocono finish was 3rd (twice). 2nd Place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet started from 5th place posted his 11th Top 10 finish in 29 races at Pocono Raceway. It is his 13th Top 10 finish in 2015. 3rd Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet started from 9th place posted his 18th Top 10 finish in 27 races at Pocono Raceway.
Credit: 309593Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images. Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet, race three-wide at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
4th Place Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford started from 11th place followed by 5th place Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet started from pole. 6th Place Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota started from 19th place followed by 7th place Car 1 Jamie McMurray Cessna Chevrolet started from 14th place. 8th Place Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet started from 15th place followed by 9th place Car 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Crispy Toyota started from 10th place. Lastly in the Top 10 Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota, in 10th place, started from 8th place. Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 39 points over Martin Truex Jr.
Credit: 309599Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images. Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
The race had 8 Cautions for 31 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 51 for Debris on the frontstretch. 2nd Caution on lap 70 for Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Zest Ford crash in turn 2. 3rd Caution on lap 88 for Debris in turn 2. 4th Caution on lap 94 for Car 7 Alex Bowman Accell Construction Chevrolet spin turn 4. 5th Caution on lap 122 for Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank Ford crash in turn 1. 6th Caution on lap 130 for Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford, Car 34 Brett Moffitt Dockside Logistics Ford crash in turn 1. 7th Caution on lap 136 for Car 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet crash in turn 1. 8th Caution on lap 142 for Car 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet, Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Clorox Chevrolet crash in turn 1.
Credit: 309592Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images. Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, lead the field to the green flag for the running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
The race had 12 Lead Changes among 6 drivers: Lap Leaders: 0; C. Edwards 1-14; M. Truex Jr. 15-27; C. Edwards 28-29; K. Kahne 30-31; K. Harvick 32-51; M. Truex Jr. 52-69; K. Harvick 70-87; A. Dillon 88-92; J. Gordon 93; M. Truex Jr. 94-132; K. Harvick 133; M. Truex Jr. 134-160. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): M. Truex Jr. 4 times for 97 laps; K. Harvick 3 times for 39 laps; C. Edwards 2 times for 16 laps; A. Dillon 1 time for 5 laps; K. Kahne 1 time for 2 laps; J. Gordon 1 time for 1 lap.
Chase Grid Outlook: 1.J. Johnson 481 (4 wins);2.K. Harvick 559 (2);3.M. Truex Jr. 520 (1);4.J. Logano 480 (1);5.D. Earnhardt Jr. 465Â (1);6.B. Keselowski 441 (1);7.M. Kenseth 415 (1);8.D. Hamlin 379 (1);9.C. Edwards 368 (1);10.J. Mcmurray 427 (0);11.K. Kahne 417Â (0);12.J. Gordon 411 (0);13.P. Menard 385 (0);14.A. Almirola 379 (0);15.R. Newman 374 (0);16.C. Bowyer 354 (0).
Credit: 309603Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images. Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet won a long awaited win for Truex & his Furniture Row team. This win also gave his Canadian Crew Chief Cole Pearn his 1st NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race win. Throughout the 2015 season the Furniture Row team have been contenders for a win.
“We finally got it,” said Truex, “We’ve had a great season. We have had everything it has taken to win races (and) we just hadn’t got it done.
“This team deserves to win and I’ve known that all year long. Throughout my career I’ve kind of gotten used to disappointment, honestly, and I’ve learned to deal with those days where it didn’t go your way, even though you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Truex has been on a long journey with long-time girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who battled cancer in 2014 a year in which Truex managed to lead only one lap all season. If that wasn’t enough, Truex lost his grandmother this week.
It was Sherry who told Truex to have faith and dig deep after the frustration of 2013 and that everything would work out.
“I kind of believed her,” Truex said. “I just knew it was going to take a lot of work. I knew it was going to be a tough road. … I felt really fortunate that there was a great ride open with the (Furniture Row) 78 … Then Sherry’s situation happened and it was like: All right, this is when you show people what you’re made of. She showed me what she was made of and it was like, wow, if she can do that, I can do this.
“It never gets any better than this. It takes time to heal things, especially with what Sherry and I went through. This just kind of makes you forget all about it. I just feel super-blessed to be with this group of guys. I’m just proud to drive cars for them and proud that Sherry is here, healthy. She is as excited as I am and everything is going well for her.”
Kevin Harvick, who finished second on Sunday, said he was “really happy” for Truex.
“If you’re going to lose to somebody today, that’s a great person to lose to,” Harvick said. “You look at everything, personally and professionally Martin and Sherry have dealt with and you have to be super-happy for them. To see them have that bright spot is something I think the whole garage will support and be happy with.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a long-time friend of Truex, who finished 11th, concurred
“I’m just happy for him,” Earnhardt said. “I know he’s been through a lot of stuff, both inside the car and outside the car the last several years. He’s been able to get into a good opportunity with good people. He’s got a team that believes in him. They’ve come a long way over the last several years.”
“The difference was the one real good (restart),” Truex said. “Joey (Logano) was behind me and gave me a good shot. I just tried to mix it up so the (guys behind me) weren’t sure what I was going to do next. I think we picked the right gear ratio for restarts here and that is critical.”
Truex’s triumph was also the first for crew chief Cole Pearn.
“We’ve got a really good, tight-knit group of guys,” Pearn said. “That makes it a lot of fun being out there (in Denver). We’ve all made similar commitments in our lives. We hang out together and that just makes it a ton of fun when you can succeed with a group like that.”
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Number 14
Unofficial Race Results for the 34Th Annual Axalta We Paint Winners 400
– Sunday, June 7, 2015
Pocono Raceway – Long Pond, PA – 2.5 Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 160 Laps – 400 Miles – Purse: $5,084,726
Finishing Position Starting Position Car # Driver Team Laps Status
1. 3. Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet 160 Running
2. 5. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet 160 Running
3. 9. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet 160 Running
4. 11. Car 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 160 Running
5. 1. Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 160 Running
6. 19. Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 160 Running
7. 14. Car 1 Jamie McMurray Cessna Chevrolet 160 Running
8. 15. Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 160 Running
9. 10. Car 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Crispy Toyota 160 Running
10. 8. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 160 Running
11. 20. Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet 160 Running
12. 27. Car 16 Greg Biffle Ortho Ford 160 Running
13. 12. Car 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Chevrolet 160 Running
14. 4. Car 24 Jeff Gordon Axalta/Penn State Chevrolet 160 Running
15. 2. Car 19 Carl Edwards ARRIS Toyota 160 Running
16. 18. Car 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 160 Running
17. 7. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 160 Running
18. 29. Car 33 Ty Dillon(i) Yuengling Chevrolet 160 Running
19. 6. Car 3 Austin Dillon Dow Chevrolet 160 Running
20. 30. Car 51 Justin Allgaier SEM Chevrolet 160 Running
21. 28. Car 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 160 Running
22. 23. Car 15 Clint Bowyer Jack Link’s/Big Machine Records Toyota 160 Running
23. 21. Car 55 David Ragan Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 160 Running
24. 33. Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 160 Running
25. 32. Car 40 Landon Cassill(i) Interstate Moving Services Chevrolet 160 Running
26. 34. Car 7 Alex Bowman Accell Construction Chevrolet 160 Running
27. 35. Car 38 David Gilliland MDS Ford 160 Running
28. 39. Car 35 Cole Whitt Ford 160 Running
29. 38. Car 98 Josh Wise Ford 159 Running
30. 36. Car 34 Brett Moffitt # Dockside Logistics Ford 158 Running
31. 16. Car 27 Paul Menard Schrock/Menards Chevrolet 158 Running
32. 41. Car 83 Matt DiBenedetto # Burger King Toyota 158 Running
33. 40. Car 26 Jeb Burton # Maxim Fantasy Sports Toyota 158 Running
34. 31. Car 46 Michael Annett Sherwin Williams Chevrolet 158 Running
35. 42. Car 32 Travis Kvapil(i) Visone RV Parts Ford 157 Running
36. 37. Car 23 JJ Yeley(i) Dr Pepper/Heinz Toyota 155 Running
37. 22. Car 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 153 Running
38. 26. Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Clorox Chevrolet 143 Radiator
39. 13. Car 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet 141 Accident
40. 43. Car 62 Brendan Gaughan(i) Chevrolet 129 Electrical
41. 24. Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank Ford 120 Accident
42. 17. Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Zest Ford 105 Running
43. 25. Car 43 Aric Almirola Nathan’s Famous Ford 88 Engine
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following car dropped to the rear of the field for the reason indicated: No. 22 (changing rear gear). Failed to Qualify:
Average Speed of Race Winner: 134.266 mph.
Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 58 Mins, 45 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.346 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 31 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers:
3M Lap Leader: Kevin Harvick, #4 39 Laps American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award : Martin Truex Jr, #78. Coors Light Pole Award: Kurt Busch, #41 177.599 mph Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Jeff Gordon, #24 6 positions. Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Hendrick Engines, #4. Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Kevin Harvick, #4 Moog Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Race: Joey Logano, #22 T. Gordon, .412 sec Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap: Kyle Busch, #18. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Brett Moffitt, #34.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: Jun. 14, 2015 – Michigan International Speedway
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