No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry News and Notes
TRUEX AT KANSAS: Martin Truex Jr. is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner at Kansas Speedway after sweeping the track’s races during his 2017 championship season. He has finished sixth or better in six of the past seven races at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. Overall, Truex has earned nine top-five finishes and 11 top-10s in 24 career starts at Kansas.
EARLIER THIS YEAR: When the Cup Series visited Kansas Speedway in July, Truex led 44 laps and finished third. That result kickstarted a string of eight consecutive top-four finishes for the No. 19 team.
STAGE MASTER: Truex, the all-time leader in stage wins with 43, has claimed a series-best three stage victories so far in the 2020 playoffs. He ranks second in stage points earned through six playoff races with 61.
CHARLOTTE RECAP: Last weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Truex finished seventh to secure his spot in the Round of 8. After starting seventh, he climbed into the top three early on before an untimely caution late in stage one derailed the No. 19 team’s strategy and prevented the New Jersey native from claiming any stage points. During stage two, he rallied late to finish fourth. Truex was forced to start from the rear of the field to begin the final stage because of a pit road speeding penalty. He charged all the way to fourth before a spin while battling for third in the closing laps relegated him to seventh when the checkered flag waved.
550-HP RACES: In 18 races this season using the 550-horsepower package (excluding Daytona and Talladega), Truex has posted six top-five finishes, 12 top-10s and 503 laps led. The No. 19 team has finished fourth or better in five of the past seven of 550-horsepower races dating back to the race at Kentucky Speedway in July. The only outliers during that time were a multi-car crash at Texas Motor Speedway while running in the top 10 and a late-race accident while battling for the win at Darlington Raceway last month.
STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Truex ranks in the top five in multiple statistical categories, including top-five finishes (third-tied), top-10s (second-tied), average finish (fourth) and laps led (fifth). According to Loop Data provided by NASCAR, the No. 19 team also ranks in the top five in fastest drivers early in a run (second, fastest drivers late in a run (second), green flag speed (second), fastest laps run (third), fastest on restarts (fourth), laps in the top 15 (fifth) and speed by segment (fifth).
BASS PRO SHOPS: A longtime supporter of Truex and NASCAR, Bass Pro Shops will be featured as primary sponsor of the No. 19 Camry for Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway. Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. Today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more.
JGR AT KANSAS: Joe Gibbs Racing owns six NASCAR Cup Series wins at Kansas Speedway, including Denny Hamlin’s victories in the past two trips to the 1.5-mile tri-oval. In 95 combined starts in Kansas, the organization has tallied 25 top-five finishes, 39 top-10s and 1,236 laps led. Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart join Hamlin on the list of drivers who have driven JGR entries to victory lane at the track.
TUNE IN: Coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway begins Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry
How much has Kansas changed over the years?
“I think when they first repaved it, it took a little bit for it to come in. But I think every year since – really, I think the last five years or so, it’s been really good as far as the high side coming in. You can run all over the track. It’s really been a fun track. It’s been a good place to race, especially with the package we have now. With these cars, we need places that we can move around because it’s really, really hard to follow a guy closely and make time. So, having those options to move around, get some clean air on your car and to be able to work different lanes makes the racing a lot of fun for us behind the wheel. Kansas has become a track that we can do that at.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
