Ryan Truex won ARCA Menards Series East championships in 2009 and 2010. He had since gone winless in the three national NASCAR series, but he snapped that streak on a cloudy afternoon at Dover Motor Speedway.
Truex, who runs part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing, delivered a dominant performance at his home track. He swept the first two stages of the Xfinity Series race, and then he took the lead back from Sheldon Creed with 10 laps remaining in the race.
Truex held on until Lap 200, and he finally got to do a burnout. He ended the day with 124 laps led in the No. 19, which was nearly double what he had led in the previous 88 races combined.
A dominating day in Dover! Retweet to congratulate Ryan Truex on his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.
The emotions were evident as Truex climbed from the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra. He was choked up during his interview with FOX Sports, and he explained how this win was for everyone that had doubted him during his career. Truex then reiterated how he wants this race to be a stepping-stone to something even bigger.
“My goal is to drive one of these cars full-time next year, and I’m hoping to make it happen,” Truex said before climbing back into the No. 19 and doing another burnout while heading toward Victory Lane.
Truex Continued a Unique Family Streak
GettyRyan Truex celebrates a win at Dover Motor Speedway.
The New Jersey native entered the race weekend with 187 starts in the three national NASCAR series. He had 73 in the Craftsman Truck Series, 88 in the Xfinity Series, and 26 in the Cup Series.
Truex’s 188th career start resulted in his first national series win and arguably his best performance behind the wheel. Interestingly enough, this win continued a unique family streak that started with his older brother, Martin Truex Jr.
Brothers. ❤️
The elder Truex moved up to the Cup Series in 2006 after winning 12 Xfinity Series races and back-to-back championships. He set out with the goal of performing at a high level in the top series, but his first year only resulted in five top-10 finishes and two top-fives.
Truex changed the narrative during the 2007 season, his second with Dale Earnhardt Inc. He performed solidly early in the season and then he won his first career Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway after a dominant performance in which he led 216 of the 400 laps. This was the first of 31 Cup Series wins for Martin — so far — and it served as a major moment in his championship-winning career.
Truex Has Another Race Scheduled in 2023
GettyRyan Truex makes a pit stop at Dover Motor Speedway.
The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra is the team’s All-Star car. It has a rotating lineup of drivers, which means that Truex will only get a select number of starts.
The veteran announced prior to the 2023 season that he would make six starts for Joe Gibbs Racing. He and the team did not state when these races would take place; they just confirmed that Truex would expand his schedule after making five in the JGR All-Star car during the 2022 season.
Truex has made the most of his opportunities in 2023. In his five starts, he has three top-five finishes. This includes a runner-up at Phoenix Raceway and a third-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His other two starts — Martinsville Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway — resulted in 12th and 17th-place finishes, respectively.
Truex will now have another opportunity to add to this stat line as he takes over the No. 19 once again. He will contend for another win while trying to bring in new sponsors that could help him secure a full-time schedule in 2024.
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Ryan Truex Captures His First Career NASCAR Win