RacinToday.com

Martin Truex, Jr. got his first victory since 2021 when he took the checkered flag in Monday’s weather-postponed NASCAR Cup Series race in Dover, Del. 

The 2017 Cup champion got the lead by passing Ross Chastain with 68 laps to go in the 400-lapper at the “Monster Mile” and then survived a late caution and restart.

Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain finished second, .505 seconds behind Joe Gibbs Racing’s Truex.

Ryan Blaney of Team Penske was third.

William Byron was fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.

Byron of Hendrick Motorsports led four times for 193 laps. He was leading on lap 286 when Chastain blew past and took his third and lead.

He was leading when the field pitted for final scheduled stops on about Lap 330. But a quick pit stop by Truex, Jr. allowed him to take his first lead of the race.

Truex began to pull away from Chastain with 25 laps to go but the two got caught up in a traffic jam and Chastain got back into the race.

With 14 to go, Joey Logano spun and slammed the wall to bring out a caution. The leaders all pitted for tires.

Truex came out first after opting to take just two tires, as did Blaney and Bell. Chastain took four and came out fourth and lined up on the inside of the second row behind Blaney.

The green waved with seven to go. Truex held off a side-by-side challenge by Blaney and with four to go pulled away to get the win.

Kyle Larson, a two-time winner this season – the second of which came two weeks ago at Martinsville – was taken out of Monday’s event when he was collected in a Lap 81 wreck that was started when Chastain ran into the back of Brendan Poole.

###

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Würth 400

Dover Motor Speedway

Dover, Delaware

Sunday, April 30, 2023

1. (17)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 400.
2. (14)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 400.
3. (3)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 400.
4. (8)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 400.
5. (13)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 400.
6. (2)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 400.
7. (7)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 400.
8. (4)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 400.
9. (5)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 400.
10. (23)  Josh Berry(i), Chevrolet, 400.
11. (10)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 400.
12. (28)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 400.
13. (24)  Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 399.
14. (27)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 399.
15. (9)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 399.
16. (11)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 399.
17. (30)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 399.
18.    (29)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 399.
19. (12)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 399.
20. (31)  Harrison Burton, Ford, 398.
21. (1)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 397.
22. (32)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 397.
23. (25)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 397.
24. (19)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 397.
25. (35)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 396.
26. (20)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 396.
27. (36)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 395.
28. (21)  JJ Yeley(i), Ford, 393.
29. (22)  BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 381.
30. (6)  Chase Briscoe, Ford, 378.
31. (26)  Joey Logano, Ford, Accident, 375.
32. (18)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 359.
33. (34)  Brennan Poole(i), Ford, Accident, 79.
34. (33)  Noah Gragson #, Chevrolet, DVP, 43.
35. (15)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, Accident, 35.
36. (16)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 34.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  115.505 mph.

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 27 Mins, 47 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .505 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  7 for 46 laps.

Lead Changes:  19 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   K. Busch 1-22;C. Bell 23;B. Keselowski 24-26;W. Byron 27-85;D. Hamlin 86;K. Busch 87-89;W. Byron 90-123;D. Hamlin 124;W. Byron 125-193;R. Chastain 194;J. Berry(i) 195;B. Keselowski 196-200;R. Chastain 201-253;D. Hamlin 254;W. Byron 255-285;R. Chastain 286-329;J. Berry(i) 330-331;M. Truex Jr. 332-388;D. Hamlin 389;M. Truex Jr. 390-400.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  William Byron 4 times for 193 laps; Ross Chastain 3 times for 98 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 2 times for 68 laps; Kyle Busch 2 times for 25 laps; Brad Keselowski 2 times for 8 laps; Denny Hamlin 4 times for 4 laps; Josh Berry(i) 2 times for 3 laps; Christopher Bell 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 24,11,12,6,1,17,20,4,19,47

Stage #2 Top Ten: 1,24,12,19,11,54,17,45,9,20

No Comment