Martin Truex Jr. Finally Wins At New Hampshire Motor Speedway

LOUDON, N.H. -- For the first time in 30 starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. clinched his first victory on what he considers his home track.

"I think it's no secret that I've been after this one for a long time," Truex said. "It's always been the one that I wanted so bad and maybe I think too bad at times, but it was well worth the wait to be able to do it here today."

The 2017 Cup Series champion dominated the race from start to finish leading 254 of 301 laps on the 1.058-mile track nicknamed "The Magic Mile."

Truex has finished in the top five eight times in the past at NHMS, including last year's race when the 43-year-old won the first two stages of the Ambetter 301 while leading 172 of the 301 laps, but ultimately came in third. Something that tends to linger among drivers and their crews.

"I think it's no secret that I've been after this one for a long time."

NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr.

"I think (my team) probably takes it a little worse than I do," Truex explained. "I'd say that's a great thing for me because they're just so determined. ... I've been through so much in my career that I just kind of brushed it off. I'm like it wasn't meant to be. We didn't do anything wrong. It's just it's the way it's racing.

"It will drive you absolutely nuts if you let it. I've been through enough and I've had enough races slip away throughout my career that I don't let it get to me anymore. I didn't do anything wrong. There's nothing I could do. ... But I think my team was really motivated and they put a lot of effort into this one and I appreciate that."

This marks the third win of the season and the second on a Monday due to inclement weather. The first came on May 1 after the Würth 400 was postponed a day due to rain at Dover Motor Speedway and the second was the Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. It's the first race to have the winner hoist a 22-pound lobster named Loudon. He even chomped on the claw!

That’s one way to celebrate! pic.twitter.com/tbjNdZMBe7

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 17, 2023

"It didn't feel too heavy to me, but I was all jacked up on adrenaline," Truex laughed. "I damn sure would like to go throw him on the grill right now if you can help me find it. We'll have lobster rolls for everybody."