Martin Truex Jr. 2018 season recap

Martin Truex Jr. came into the 2018 season as the reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, and the veteran made quite a run at keeping his crown. Recap a season of victories, near-victories and see where he will be calling home for the 2019 season.

Truex wasted little time reaching Victory Lane in the 2018 season as he dominated from the pole at Auto Club Speedway. He led 125 of 200 laps for the victory, which immediately vaulted him into the points lead for the only time in the regular season.

Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch dominated much of the spring results, but Truex served notice that the title picture was more than two drivers with his victory at Pocono. Truex took the lead thanks to a strategy call from crew chief Cole Pearn to stay out with 21 laps to go then was able to hold off a hard-charging Kyle Larson for the win.

Thanks to the gamesmanship of Pearn, Truex was able to outmaneuver Harvick for a victory at Sonoma. Pearn had "called" Truex to pit road on Lap 73 for a pit stop but then called it off at the last second after Harvick had pitted. Truex pitted from the lead on Lap 81. That sneaky pit strategy/call was buoyed by a caution-free final stage that led to a 10.5-second win.

The strength of Truex's 2017 title run was winning seven races on 1.5-mile tracks. In 2018, his lone 1.5-mile win came in July at Kentucky Speedway -- in a race he dominated from the pole position. He led 174 of 267 laps, while scoring the maximum amount of points for the second straight year. Surprisingly, this would be his last victory of '18.

Coming into the race at Watkins Glen, Truex had won the past two road-course races dating back to the previous year's race at Watkins Glen. Truex nearly made it three in a row but couldn't chase down Chase Elliott in the final lap as his No. 78 Toyota ran dry and he finished second for the fourth time in a race this season.

With fewer than 70 laps to go in the Bristol night race, Truex was charging hard for the lead but some contact with Kyle Busch caused his No. 78 Toyota to spin and hit the wall hard. He ended up finishing 30th and said of the wreck, "Played too nice and got the crappy end of the stick." It was one of four straight finishes outside the top 10 entering the playoffs.

A blistering performance early on in the Richmond playoff race where Truex led 162 of the first 203 laps led plenty to think this was the night his short-track drought finally came to an end. However, a pit road penalty after Stage 2 derailed his shot at the win, but Truex was able to rally to get to a third-place finish. By season's end, Truex's short-track drought would grow to 0-for-78.

A late 14-car accident put Truex in great position to win the first race on the Charlotte road course -- in which longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex drove the pace car. Coming to the final chicane, Truex held the lead, but a winless Jimmie Johnson initiated contact. Both cars got turned leading to a win for Ryan Blaney. Truex took out some frustration on the cool-down lap as he spun out the 48.

After starting 33rd, Truex methodically worked his way through the field at Martinsville. Holding the lead on the final lap and coming off the final turn, he was in position to lock into the Championship 4. Then the Joey Logano-initiated contact happened and Logano went on to win. The fireworks were further sparked post race when Truex said of Logano, "He ain't winning the damn war."

In early November, Truex's long-rumored move to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 19 Toyota for the 2019 season was made official. Pearn was also moving to JGR as part of the deal to be the crew chief. The dynamic duo has won 16 races in the past three years together. Furniture Row Racing had announced in September that the single-car organization was shutting down at year's end.

Thanks to a war chest of playoff points and solid runs at Martinsville and Texas, Truex made the Championship 4. In Furniture Row Racing's final race, Truex held the lead with 15 to go. Logano chased him down as his short-run speed was too much and MTJ lost the lead -- and the championship -- with 12 laps to go. Truex would finish the race and season standings in second.

Truex got emotional talking about the No. 78 team and Furniture Row Racing team owner Barney Visser in his awards speech. "Barney, you gave me an opportunity when I needed it most. You gave your race team everything we needed to become champions. It was an incredible honor to drive for you during the five best years of my career. I thank you more than you could ever imagine."