Leading the last one is.
For these drivers and teams, the two-week stretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 is a chance to spend time "at home" during the long NASCAR season.
It was about being the No. 3. His grandfather's team made the slanted No. 3 famous by winning six championships and 67 races in that vehicle with Dale Earnhardt behind the wheel. There's always haters, but there's a lot of support, too.
Dillon's grandfather, Richard Childress, couldn't have been prouder. It was the first victory for the No. 3 auto since October 2000 when Earnhardt won at Talladega. "When I got emotional, I looked up, when I looked up and seen the 3 on top of the board, I was standing there doing an interview, that's when I got emotional".
Dillon has relished running that number since he began his stock-car career. "I'm just glad to add to the legacy, and I want to keep adding to it".
Some drivers and officials have suggested it makes more sense to move the All-Star race around.
"I don't know. It's a frustrating night, man".
"Our guys did a great job - Adam Stevens (crew chief) and everybody brought me a really fast vehicle", he said. What did it mean for a driver to get his first win?
However, the No. 78 team would not be denied in Stage 2 as Truex Jr. narrowly beat eight-time track victor Jimmie Johnson for his series-leading sixth stage victory.
"I made a mistake and got loose", Larson said.
Fumes carried Dillon to an emotional scene in victory lane.
As Martin Truex Jr.
White House official quits amid tensions
The official was not authorized to publicly discuss private thinking and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Backchannels, or secret lines of communication, are often used by the White House as diplomatic tools.
Especially with how Dillon accomplished it. Crew chief Justin Alexander decided that while much of the field would pit with about 35 to go, Dillon would stay out and gamble he'd have enough fuel to make it.
Drivers on newer tires, led by Truex and Busch, caught those who stayed out, except Johnson and Dillon, in just a few laps. He ran in the top 15 for most of the race, battling a loose racecar, and nearly sustained some damage after running over some fluid from Ty Dillon's auto in the middle of the third stage. But we'd obviously rather win and have one in the win column - that way you get in no matter what. "He had good speed".
Matt Kenseth ran fourth, followed by Joe Gibbs racing teammate Denny Hamlin, as Toyotas claimed positions two through five.
Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing led 233 laps, becoming just the second to pace the most laps in NASCAR's longest race for three consecutive seasons. We just really havent been able to hit on how to get around here. They go in the corner at the bottom and they come out the corner at the top.
But fuel-mileage, that's another thing.
"But it's tough to win in this series".
The Coca-Cola 600 is set to take place later tonight.
I would love that, to win the 600, Earnhardt said.
"There is pressure behind it". Call it strategy. Call it whatever you want it. Austin Dillon calls it a win.
Dillon knows he took a major step toward that and brought together all fans of Earnhardt's No. 3 with his win in Charlotte.
Some of that pressure is now gone. The No. 3 ran out of gas while Dillon was trying to do a burnout on the frontstretch.
Comments