After taking the lead on Lap 216 of a scheduled 267, Martin Truex Jr., whose career has seen major valleys, has hit the highest peak.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Highlights of Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost, the championship race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, at Homestead-Miami-Speedway:
WINNER: Martin Truex Jr. finally has his championship.
After taking the lead on Lap 216 of a scheduled 267, Truex, whose career has seen major valleys, has hit the highest peak.
He outpointed 2012 champion Brad Keselowski, 2014 titlist Kevin Harvick and 2015 victor Kyle Busch to win his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.
“I don’t even know what to say,” an emotional Truex said upon emerging from his car. “We never gave up all day — don’t know how we won that thing…. I can’t believe it. I’ve thought of this since I was a little kid. Never give up on your dreams, no matter what happens”
Truex, 37, was considered the favorite by many entering the winner-take-all-finale, with seven victories this season and a bevy of bonus points earned via stage wins which gave him a large cushion through the first rounds of the 10-race elimination.
He will be a popular champion.
Truex lost his full-time ride at Michael Waltrip Racing and major sponsor NAPA after a cheating scandal — in which he was not complicit — rocked NASCAR during the final regular-season race at Richmond International Raceway in 2013.
He landed at tiny one-car Furniture Row Racing, based out of Denver, far from the hub of NASCAR’s big names and big teams in Charlotte.
TRUEX: Had plenty of motivation to win first championship
DANICA: Patrick’s full-time racing career ends early with crash
Four years later, he has taken owner Barney Visser — who suffered a heart attack and could not attend the finale — to the top of American stock car racing. The team also celebrated without fabricator Jim Watson, who died of a heart attack the night before Truex won at Kansas Speedway in October.
Truex, whose longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex has been battling cancer and looked on from atop his pit box, won two titles earlier in his career in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series with long-time friend Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team.
I am happy that Martin did it,” Earnhardt said. “What an accomplishment for his life. I’m glad to see him accomplish that for his life and his family.”
Rounding out the top 10: Busch, Kyle Larson, Harvick, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman.
Crew chief Cole Pearn lifted Truex into a giant bear hug after he climbed out of his car, surrounded by crew, family and friends.
Pollex and Truex shared a long, tearful embrace.
“I wanted to do it for her. I wanted to do it for me. We just never gave up all day long. I told my guys we have to dig deeper than we ever have today. With 20 (laps to go), I thought we were done.”
PHOTOS: MARTIN TRUEX JR. THROUGH THE YEARS
FAREWELL DALE: NASCAR’s 14-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. said goodbye to full-time Cup Series racing Sunday with a 25th-place finish in the 2017 season finale. But the result was less important than the tributes to the son of a racing legend who galvanized his own legion of fans. Ford drivers performed a series of burnouts on the backstretch that culminated in an “88” carved onto the track. And the fans got their turn, shouting and cheering their appreciation to Junior during driver introductions and on pre-race laps. Earnhardt retires from the Cup Series after 18+seasons, 26 wins and 260 top-10 finishes in 631 races.
EARNHARDT JR.: Leaves Cup racing amid tributes and tears
MORE: See Sunday’s incredible on-track tributes to Dale Jr.
HENDRICK ON DALE JR.: ‘His legacy is his heart’
“I didn’t cry until I hugged (team owner) Rick’s (Hendrick) neck,” Earnhardt said. “He’s been like a father to me. He’s really, really helped me more than anyone will know. I will miss trying to make him proud on the racetrack. I’ll miss driving his cars.”
STAGE TWO: Larson made it a sweep of stages one and two by leading Truex to the end of the second stage. Completing the top five were Harvick, Kyle Busch and Keselowski.
PATRICK PARKS: Danica Patrick’s career as a full-time driver ended on lap 142 when her car hit the outside wall in turn two after blowing a right-rear tire. Kasey Kahne ran into the rear of Patrick’s car. The result was the race’s third caution. Patrick, who climbed out of her car as a small fire in the right front caused smoke, plans to compete in only the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 next season.
“I hit the wall in three and four and got some fender rub on the tire, and it blew the tire,” Patrick said. “I went a couple of laps and there was smoke in the car, but they thought it was all right, but it wasn’t.… That sucks, but I think that what’s coming ahead is bright for me and for the way it feels, so I’m excited.”
CLOSE CALL: Kyle Busch avoided disaster on lap 122 when he barely missed hitting the sand barrels along pit road as he dropped off the track to pit.
STAGE ONE: Larson dominated the first stage, leading 68 of the 80 laps and winning the stage over Keselowski. The other Final Four contenders also were strong, with Busch finishing third, Harvick fourth and Truex fifth. Truex was the only other driver leading laps (12) in the stage.
PHOTOS: 2017 NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS
FORD ECOBOOST 400
Sunday from the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway (starting position in parentheses):
1. (2) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 267 laps, 40 points.
2. (3) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267,35.
3. (7) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 267,54.
4. (9) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 267,33.
5. (18) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 267,39.
6. (19) Joey Logano, Ford, 267,36.
7. (5) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267,30.
8. (4) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 267,33.
9. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 267,32.
10. (21) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 267,27.
11. (17) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 267,26.
12. (16) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 267,26.
13. (13) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 266,24.
14. (26) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 266,23.
15. (6) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, 266,22.
16. (15) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 265,21.
17. (30) David Ragan, Ford, 265,20.
18. (20) Aric Almirola, Ford, 265,19.
19. (12) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 265,18.
20. (29) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 265,17.
21. (14) Erik Jones, Toyota, 265,16.
22. (8) Kurt Busch, Ford, 265,24.
23. (28) Landon Cassill, Ford, 265,14.
24. (23) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 265,13.
25. (24) Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet, 264,12.
26. (32) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 264,11.
27. (22) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 264,10.
28. (33) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 264,9.
29. (11) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 264,8.
