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DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Martin Truex Jr. won a second time for the first time, his Bojangles' Southern 500 victory giving the Furniture Row Racing driver multiple wins for the first time in his Sprint Cup Series career.
The victory also gave automaker Toyota a sweep of the series' marquee events this season.
The fortunes of the teams were as varied as the throwback paint schemes adorning the cars. Chase spots hung in the balance at Darlington Raceway, and when it was over questions still hung in the air like the sand and grit kicked up by 40 cars racing for home.
DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Martin Truex Jr. won a second time for the first time, his Bojangles' Southern 500 victory giving the Furniture Row Racing driver multiple wins for the first time in his Sprint Cup Series career.
The victory also gave automaker Toyota a sweep of the series' marquee events this season.
The fortunes of the teams were as varied as the throwback paint schemes adorning the cars. Chase spots hung in the balance at Darlington Raceway, and when it was over questions still hung in the air like the sand and grit kicked up by 40 cars racing for home.
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Rock Solid Result
Truex, 36, solidified his status as a Chase title contender, wheeling his No. 78 Toyota into Victory Lane for the second time this season and once again displaying the speed that has made the team a threat on the intermediate tracks.
'It's huge with the Chase coming to get that confidence up, get another win in the pocket,' Truex said. 'A lot of people have been giving us a lot of heat about not finishing races and a lot of things happening.
'A lot of them have been out of our control and (our) pit crew's done a great job; they did stumble last week and this is a heck of a way to make it up.'
Truex, 36, solidified his status as a Chase title contender, wheeling his No. 78 Toyota into Victory Lane for the second time this season and once again displaying the speed that has made the team a threat on the intermediate tracks.
'It's huge with the Chase coming to get that confidence up, get another win in the pocket,' Truex said. 'A lot of people have been giving us a lot of heat about not finishing races and a lot of things happening.
'A lot of them have been out of our control and (our) pit crew's done a great job; they did stumble last week and this is a heck of a way to make it up.'
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Their Own Worst Enemy
Seven times this season, Kevin Harvick has led triple-digit laps in an event. But only twice has the Stewart-Haas Racing driver, and 2014 series champion, emerged with the win.
Pit road problems have been the culprit far too often for the No. 4 team to roll into the Chase as the team to beat. Darlington was the most recent case in point, with slow stops and a faulty air gun costing Harvick prime real estate on the track.
The speed is there and that can cover up a lot of ills within a team. But to contend for another title, it will take more than raw speed under the hood.
Seven times this season, Kevin Harvick has led triple-digit laps in an event. But only twice has the Stewart-Haas Racing driver, and 2014 series champion, emerged with the win.
Pit road problems have been the culprit far too often for the No. 4 team to roll into the Chase as the team to beat. Darlington was the most recent case in point, with slow stops and a faulty air gun costing Harvick prime real estate on the track.
The speed is there and that can cover up a lot of ills within a team. But to contend for another title, it will take more than raw speed under the hood.
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A Surprise Contender
With only one race left to determine the Chase field, Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) looks to be peaking at just the right time.
The 24-year-old led 45 laps at Darlington and finished third, just one week after scoring his first career victory in the series.
It is just the second time this season the No. 42 team has managed back-to-back top-10 finishes, but the four have come in his last six starts.
'My spotter said we were halfway and I was like 'are you kidding me? We still have however many to go?' But it was a good night,' Larson said.
With only one race left to determine the Chase field, Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing) looks to be peaking at just the right time.
The 24-year-old led 45 laps at Darlington and finished third, just one week after scoring his first career victory in the series.
It is just the second time this season the No. 42 team has managed back-to-back top-10 finishes, but the four have come in his last six starts.
'My spotter said we were halfway and I was like 'are you kidding me? We still have however many to go?' But it was a good night,' Larson said.
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Toyota's Triple Crown
Big races have seen Toyota teams come to the forefront this season, with Denny Hamlin capturing the season-opening Daytona 500 and Truex winning the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500.
Those wins gave the group a sweep of what is still considered NASCAR's triple crown.
The automaker's strength has been on intermediate tracks, and the upcoming Chase is chock full of such stops.
Big races have seen Toyota teams come to the forefront this season, with Denny Hamlin capturing the season-opening Daytona 500 and Truex winning the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500.
Those wins gave the group a sweep of what is still considered NASCAR's triple crown.
The automaker's strength has been on intermediate tracks, and the upcoming Chase is chock full of such stops.
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Good News, Bad News
Hendrick Motorsports placed two of its four teams in the top 10, with Kasey Kahne finishing seventh and Chase Elliott 10th.
Elliott's strong run comes on the heels of a runner-up finish a week ago at Michigan and appears to have re-discovered the combination that carried him to 11 top-10s in the first 15 races.
The news wasn't as positive for six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who was pegged for body modifications, spun once and finished 33rd.
That's a harsh reminder that this year's team still has plenty of room for improvement if it hopes to contend for the title.
Hendrick Motorsports placed two of its four teams in the top 10, with Kasey Kahne finishing seventh and Chase Elliott 10th.
Elliott's strong run comes on the heels of a runner-up finish a week ago at Michigan and appears to have re-discovered the combination that carried him to 11 top-10s in the first 15 races.
The news wasn't as positive for six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who was pegged for body modifications, spun once and finished 33rd.
That's a harsh reminder that this year's team still has plenty of room for improvement if it hopes to contend for the title.
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Dry Spell for Ford
Ford teams won five of the first 18 races, but other than Chris Buescher's surprising victory at Pocono, teams with the blue oval have been shut down since early July.
Both Team Penske entries, with Joey Logano (fifth) and Brad Keselowski (ninth) finished in the top-10 at Darlington but neither was out front during the second half of the race.
Logano said the numerous restarts in the second half of the race were a disadvantage for his No. 22 entry.
'I lost two or three spots every restart for the first five or six laps and then it would kick in and off I would go,' he said. 'I was fighting to get them back.'
Ford teams won five of the first 18 races, but other than Chris Buescher's surprising victory at Pocono, teams with the blue oval have been shut down since early July.
Both Team Penske entries, with Joey Logano (fifth) and Brad Keselowski (ninth) finished in the top-10 at Darlington but neither was out front during the second half of the race.
Logano said the numerous restarts in the second half of the race were a disadvantage for his No. 22 entry.
'I lost two or three spots every restart for the first five or six laps and then it would kick in and off I would go,' he said. 'I was fighting to get them back.'