NASCAR: Truex Jr. Makes Statement, Wins Opening Playoff Race
By Alex Herbst
Martin Truex Jr. reasserted his position as the favorite to win this year’s NASCAR Cup Series title, winning the opening playoff race at Chicagoland Speedway.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs mark the final ten races of the 2017 campaign. It also marks a shift in the drama and excitement for the teams, with just sixteen drivers remaining in the hunt for the championship. But only one driver was able to assert their spot at the top of the title tilt, and that was Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr.
Truex Jr., who won the most races and claimed the regular season title heading into the Windy City, dominated the final stage of the Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, rolling to victory by over seven seconds over Chase Elliott. He led the most laps on the day, with 77 of the 267 laps out front for the #78 team. Truex is now locked into the next round of the playoffs in the Round of 12.
Chase Elliott came home in second on the day in Chicago, showing increased strength out of his Hendrick Motorsports ride as the playoffs begin. The #24 team won the second stage, and came home ahead of fellow playoff combatants Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson, who rounded out the top five.
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The bottom four in the Round of 16 are now on watch for possible elimination in two races after Dover. Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Kurt Busch are currently on the outside looking in for the next playoff round.
Here are the full race results from the Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (playoff drivers in italics):
- Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
- Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
- Kevin Harvick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Brad Keselowski, Ford, Team Penske
- Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske
- Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
- Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Ryan Blaney, Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
- Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Clint Bowyer, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
- Danica Patrick, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Kurt Busch, Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Landon Cassill, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
- Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
- Trevor Bayne, Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
- Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Aric Almirola, Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
- A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing
- Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing
- Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Germain Racing
- David Ragan, Ford, Front Row Motorsports
- Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, Leavine Family Racing
- Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, Go Fas Racing
- Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports
- Erik Jones, Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
- Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, TMG-Circle Sport Racing
- Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, TriStar Motorsports
- Corey LaJoie, Toyota, BK Racing
- Brett Moffitt, Toyota, BK Racing
- Gray Gaulding, Toyota, Premium Motorsports
- Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, MBM Racing
- Ray Black Jr., Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing
Next: Modified Legend Ted Christopher Dies in Plane Crash
The next race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs comes from the magic mile in New England. Catch racing from the New Hampshire Motor Speedway next Sunday, live on NBCSN and the NBC Sports app.