Truex quietly chases 2nd NASCAR Cup championship at Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. stood on pit road moments after his first victory at Phoenix over a Cup career stretching nearly 20 years and quickly put a target on a more meaningful race at the track.

“I wish it was November,” Truex said. “Hopefully, we can come back in November and have a shot at the championship.”

Eight months later, Truex is back in the desert and, just as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver hoped, does indeed have a shot at the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Truex didn’t quite call his shot and guarantee his spot in the field, but the 2017 champion had good reason to feel like he’d back among the four drivers racing for the title Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. This is the fifth time since 2015 that Truex races with the championship at stake and, with two previous runner-up finishes, he has as good a shot as any of the other three drivers to win it all.

Always a threat on the track, Truex is the most unassuming championship contender in Cup.

Denny Hamlin is fueled by raw emotion from dust-ups with other drivers and, like his fellow 23XI owner Michael Jordan, finding any slight to use as motivation. Kyle Larson’s return from suspension for a racial slur into the driver to beat has been the story of the season. With a second straight title in sight, Chase Elliott attends World Series games and screamed himself hoarse rooting for the Atlanta Braves.

And Truex?

About the only time a light shines on Truex outside of racing is when he walks the runway to raise money for charity.

“Luckily, I haven’t been in any confrontations lately,” Truex said Thursday. “It’s always good to not have enemies when it comes to a race like this.”

A year after his worst season since he blossomed into a perennial contender, Truex quietly went about his business and won four races....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Truex-quietly-chases-2nd-NASCAR-Cup-championship-16593494.php