Martin Truex Jr. wins NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix Raceway
AVONDALE, Ariz. โ Joey Logano has won a few times at Phoenix Raceway and knows a good restart when he feels one. Truex blew past Logano on the final restart and pulled away for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and 28th overall. Logano โ who led 143 laps โ won the second stage after leading the final 35 laps during a long stretch of green-flag racing. But he couldn't hold back Truex, who won his ninth race with JGR. Hamlin was fast early in the race, leading for 31 laps until the competition caution midway through the first stage.
Bell snags first Cup victory in another surprise Gibbs win
Michael McDowell was the surprise Daytona 500 winner and then Bell earned an earlier-than-expected first trip to victory lane. The 26-year-old Oklahoman is a longtime Toyota development driver who won 16 Xfinity Series races driving for Gibbs. Ty Gibbs, the 18-year-old grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, won the Xfinity Series race Saturday night in his first career national series start. Kevin Harvick finished sixth and AJ Allmendinger, in his first Cup race since the 2018 season finale, finished seventh. It was the highest finish in three Cup races for Kaulig Racing, an Xfinity Series team formed in 2016 that wants to be full-time Cup next season.
Ty Gibbs stuns grandfather, wins in first career NASCAR race
It was the very first NASCAR national series race for Ty Gibbs, who jumped two steps from ARCA to Xfinity for his debut. Ty Gibbs is the second-youngest winner in Xfinity Series history. But as his grandson crossed the finish line, his glasses fogged and he hugged a Joe Gibbs Racing team member. JGR has yet to announce a full 2021 schedule for Ty Gibbs, but his grandfather said the details are decided by Coy Gibbs. They picked the Daytona road course for his debut because Ty Gibbs finished second here in last yearโs ARCA race.
Michael Jordanโs NASCAR team partners with Gibbs, Toyota
The car will be driven by Bubba Wallace and will be a Toyota in an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. (Toyota Racing via AP)CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Michael Jordan expects to field a winning team when 23XI Racing begins NASCAR competition next season. The first move toward victory lane came Friday in a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. โMy main goal for 23XI Racing is to be competitive for a championship as soon as possible,โ said Jordan. โOur partnership with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing gives us the equipment, resources and expertise to do it.โJGR is the flagship Toyota team and considered one of NASCAR's top organizations.
Truex races into 2nd round with win in opening playoff race
The win is Truex's series-best fifth of the season and again cemented Joe Gibbs Racing as the team to beat in this 10-race playoff series. "I was able to hustle the car there at the end and get the lead and drive away," Truex said. Las Vegas was a brutal opener for a handful of title contenders, including Kurt Busch, who crashed when his tire went flat and he finished last in the field. Harvick credited his Stewart-Haas Racing team with making massive gains all weekend to get him to a second-place finish. DECENT RACE FOR TEAM PENSKE:Although defending race winner Brad Keselowski struggled through the first two stages, he still managed a third-place finish.