Post by dalejrfan on Jun 18, 2005 23:18:40 GMT -5
Don't look now, but Martin Truex Jr. has raced his way back in the NASCAR Busch Series championship picture.
Truex, who won the 2004 title, had been more than 300 points behind the leader just three races ago. Yet three finishes of seventh or better -- including a win at Dover, Del. -- and a missed race by previous leader Carl Edwards have reshaped the title hunt.
Entering Saturday night's Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. (7:30 p.m. Eastern, FX), Truex and Clint Bowyer trail new leader Reed Sorenson, both by just 51 points.
Edwards, who missed the Nashville race because it conflicted with his Nextel Cup race at Pocono, has dropped to fourth, 96 points behind Sorenson.
Although Truex has won races this season (three so far), he has also had four finishes of 30th or worse, which had hurt his chances. In the past seven races however, he has finished in the top-10 six times, fueling his comeback.
"We have been that good all season; we have just had some really bad luck," Truex said. "It is all about being consistent race in and race out."
Truex, who finishes 21st and sixth in his two previous visits to Kentucky Speedway, is excited about his chances this weekend.
"It is a track that is similar to Vegas and California. Those are the types of tracks where we struggled in the past," he said. "I know our intermediate (track) program has made some big steps in the right direction and now we just have to prove it."
Truex, who won the 2004 title, had been more than 300 points behind the leader just three races ago. Yet three finishes of seventh or better -- including a win at Dover, Del. -- and a missed race by previous leader Carl Edwards have reshaped the title hunt.
Entering Saturday night's Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. (7:30 p.m. Eastern, FX), Truex and Clint Bowyer trail new leader Reed Sorenson, both by just 51 points.
Edwards, who missed the Nashville race because it conflicted with his Nextel Cup race at Pocono, has dropped to fourth, 96 points behind Sorenson.
Although Truex has won races this season (three so far), he has also had four finishes of 30th or worse, which had hurt his chances. In the past seven races however, he has finished in the top-10 six times, fueling his comeback.
"We have been that good all season; we have just had some really bad luck," Truex said. "It is all about being consistent race in and race out."
Truex, who finishes 21st and sixth in his two previous visits to Kentucky Speedway, is excited about his chances this weekend.
"It is a track that is similar to Vegas and California. Those are the types of tracks where we struggled in the past," he said. "I know our intermediate (track) program has made some big steps in the right direction and now we just have to prove it."