Late-Race Strength Boosts Martin Truex Jr. to Best Career Start

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After three stellar top-10 performances to start the 2015 season, Martin Truex Jr. is frequently asked what’s the main difference from 2014 when he struggled in his first year with the single-car Furniture Row Racing team.  
 
Truex, who is fourth in driver points with finishes of eighth, sixth and second the past three weeks, has repeatedly stated that the team is fundamentally stronger than in 2014. But for a more direct reason, one doesn’t have to look any further than a statistic that shows how Truex’s No. 78 Chevrolet has been able to improve during the course of a race. 
 
“Looking at the numbers we’ve been at our fastest speed in the fourth quarter of the race,” explained Truex, who is off to his best career start in the Sprint Cup Series with a 5.33 finishing average.
 
According to a NASCAR loop data statistic for above or below average speed of the field during the four quarters of a race, Truex, in the first three races, has been 1.417 mph above the average speed in the first quarter, plus .996 in the second, plus 1.471 in the third and a plus 1.950 in the final quarter.  His fourth quarter speed ranks third overall for the season. 
 
In the most recent race in Las Vegas, Truex was above the average speed of the field in each of the four quarters, and again was at his best in the final stanza — +2.360 (Q1), +1.757 (Q2), +2.745 (Q3) and +2.999 (Q4).     
 
“It’s not only a football team that wants to be at its best in the fourth quarter,” stated Truex. “When you can overcome handling issues and make the car better for the final charge you’re going to get the kind of results that we’ve achieved. This is a credit to our crew chief (Cole Pearn) and race engineers (Jeff Curtis and Pete Craik) for their understanding of the changing race conditions and then making the right adjustments.”
 
The initial success has Truex looking ahead and not in the rear-view mirror relishing the early results. The next stop for the Sprint Cup circuit is Sunday, the CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. 
 
“Right now it’s all about Phoenix, we’re not looking in the past,” noted Truex. “Phoenix is our first flat track race of the season and it has some unique characteristics. You have to be able to adjust with the changing track conditions. A good qualifying spot will also be important.”
 
Truex has proved that he can maneuver Phoenix’s 1-mile oval. He sat on the pole there in the 2009 fall race and has an average start of 12.4 in 16 career starts. His Phoenix race results include one top-five and six top-10s. 
 
“We have a lot of momentum right now and want to keep it going this weekend in Phoenix,” said Truex. “We had a pretty good run there last fall (12th) and have a solid baseline on what is needed to successfully attack the one-mile oval.”

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