Martin Truex Jr. entered Sunday’s Toyota / Save Mart 350 with a series leading 14 top-10 finishes. Thanks to a Lap 28 crash at Sonoma raceway, No. 15 will have to wai.
Truex was battling side-by-side for position with David Ragan going through the esses when Truex’s No. 78 Chevrolet edged out in front of the No. 55. Ragan’s car remained on a straight line and hit the Truex’s left rear, sending Truex into a spin that ended nose first into a tire barrier.
Truex, who had started 12th, said the incident was a product of a restart two laps before.
“When you’re mid-pack, it’s not a good place to be,” Truex told Fox. “It’s just really congested. We were a lot faster than a couple of guys around us and you’re trying not to get run over and you’re trying to make moves.
“Every time I passed the 55, he would just keep staying on the side of me and not giving me three or four inches to get clear so we could all get going.”
Truex said that had happened four times and they finally ran out of room.
“I guess he turned me on purpose,” Truex said. “I ran into the side of him first, so I kind of had it coming. But that was an accident. I thought I gave him enough room there coming out of the esses.”
