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SPORTS Monday 24 June 2019
Martin Truex Jr. holds off KyBusch to defend Sonoma title

By GREG BEACHAM class of the final stage in and held off a strong push
AP Sports Writer a caution-free race. While by Busch to win by 1.861
SONOMA, Calif. (AP) — JGR isn't overwhelming its seconds.
Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle foes in the points stand- More things to know about
Busch have managed to ings, it hopes to build on its Sonoma:
keep their long-standing strong Northern California WHO'S HOT
rivalry quite friendly during performance into the sum- DiBenedetto gave an im-
their first season as team- mer. pressive performance after
mates at Joe Gibbs Racing. "What a season we've starting in 19th, patiently
It's a bit easier for Truex to turned this into," said Truex, picking his way up the field
be a gracious winner — who has won with three with an impressively fast
and for Busch to be some- different team owners Toyota. The Northern Cali-
what content with second at Sonoma. "This group, fornia native had family
place — when their two man, they're unbelievable. and friends in the stands to
Toyotas are blowing away Hopefully we can keep it watch his feat. Martin Truex Jr., center, celebrates after winning a NASCAR
the rest of the NASCAR going." WHO'S NOT Sprint Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Sonoma,
Cup Series field by a full 31 After Hamlin won the sec- Series points leader Joey Calif.
seconds, as they did on a ond stage, Truex got the Logano had battery prob- Associated Press
dominant Sunday in wine lead early in the third stage, lems and had to pit with 15
country. and Busch didn't follow laps to go. He finished 23rd. The drivers had little trouble NASCAR race now.
Truex won on the hilly road Truex into the pits for the fi- Chase Elliott started fourth navigating "The Carousel," MY BAD
course at Sonoma Race- nal stop. When Busch finally and ran near the front for the extra turns inserted into Busch isn't typically an
way for the second straight pitted four laps later, Truex much of the day before the NASCAR layout for the apologetic driver, but he
year and the third time in reclaimed the lead with 23 his engine apparently blew first time since 1997. The gave his regrets to Blaney
his career, comfortably laps to go. Truex opened early in the final stage. layout is expected to be for bumping him from the
holding off Busch for JGR's an 8-second advantage TAKE A RIDE a permanent part of the back during the final stage.
10th victory of the season.
Truex won for the fourth
time in the last eight points-
paying races, earning his
23rd career victory overall.
Busch also has four wins
this season, putting the two
veteran drivers in position
for a long summer of friend-
ly competition.
"We race as hard as we
can possibly race on the
race track, and we respect
each other off it," Truex
said. "That works out pretty
good."
Although Busch is a vi-
cious competitor, he had
perspective on this result
after failing to find a way
to make a late push past
Truex. Their careers have
intersected regularly since
2004, when Truex held off
Busch to win the Busch Se-
ries championship.
"It (stinks) to finish second to
a teammate, but it is good
for the company," said
Busch, who has four top-
five finishes in the last five
years at Sonoma. "Overall,
Martin is really good here.
I'm just pumped that I actu-
ally ran good."
Ryan Blaney was a distant
third, more than 33 sec-
onds behind Truex. Matt
DiBenedetto finished a ca-
reer-best fourth, and JGR's
Denny Hamlin was fifth. Erik
Jones, JGR's fourth driver,
came in eighth.
Truex and Busch finished 1-2
for the seventh time in their
careers, and they were the