Ryan Truex Finishes Seventh in Xfinity Return

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer 

Ryan Truex hasn’t missed a beat. Despite a move from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truex scored a top-10 finish in his first Xfinity Series race since 2015.

Truex survived five overtime attempts to finish seventh in the PowerShares QQQ 300. In the previous four overtime attempts, he snuck through the mayhem to emerge unscathed. The amount of fuel was also in question with the multiple overtime attempts, but was not a factor.

On the final overtime attempt, Truex restarted in the lead at Daytona International Speedway, but ultimately was shuffled out of line. He chose to start in the outside lane, expecting a push from Elliott Sadler. However, that push never came and Sadler slipped below Truex. He slipped back from the lead to seventh by the time he took the checkered flag. However, Truex was lucky just to finish in the No. 11 Bar Harbor / Sea Watch International Camaro SS.

Truex Tweeted his disappointment after the race,

https://twitter.com/Ryan_Truex/status/965034526933225472

In the final stage of the race, Truex was in a heated battle up front. As he swung below Ryan Reed’s No. 16 Mustang, Reed blocked. The duo made contact, sending Truex’s Kaulig Racing entry below the double-yellow line and sliding into turn three. After an impressive drift, the Mayetta, NJ native regained control as the field squeezed around him. Inevitably, contact resulted sending Daniel Hemric, Spencer Boyd, and others spinning. Reed was ultimately black-flagged for forcing Truex below the double-yellow line.

The seventh-place finish was Truex’s best since the 2012 season. It also leaves him fourth in the Championship Point standings, 15-points behind race winner Tyler Reddick.

Now Truex and his entire Kaulig Racing team will take the momentum of their seventh-place finish into Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Rinnai 250 on February 24.