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With the green flag flying once again at Michigan International Speedway on Monday (August 7), Martin Truex Jr. backed up his Stage 1 win with a Stage 2 victory during the rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400.
The fourth final race of the regular season saw the Joe Gibbs Racing driver blast through the field during the first 45 laps of the 200 lap-long-race.
Monday's restart of the 400-mile-long event at noon saw Martin Truex Jr. back his performance from yesterday up with another stage win, taking the green and white checkered flag on lap 120. Passing Trackhouse Racing's Daniel Suarez and fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace, the #19 driver managed to claim the top spot on the final lap of Stage 2.
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With Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing's Brad Keselowski also looking like a competitive entry, the #19 crew and driver have their work cut out for them, despite their impressive performance so far. Notable drivers such as Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott have already been eliminated from the race after early crashes for the duo.
Hendrick Motorsports' Elliott finds himself in a must-win situation currently if he plans to challenge in this year's playoffs.
Martin Truex Jr. on a fuel-only strategy heading into Stage 3
The New Jersey native and the #19 crew at Joe Gibbs Racing were seen gambling on a fuel-only pit stop as Martin Truex Jr. pitted after winning Stage 2 of the FireKeepers Casino 400.
With teammate Denny Hamlin also on the same strategy due to the duo having taken new tires only a few laps ago, the rest of the field sits on opposite and/or different strategies to the #19 and #11 Toyotas.
Drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez spent all their resources with four-tire stops and fuel as they spent their existing set trying to finish Stage 2.
Not only highlighting Martin Truex Jr.'s and JGR's pace in Michigan, but the alternative strategies could also make for exciting mixed-up frontrunners contending for the win as the white flag would wave.
