Martin Truex, Jr. wins Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway
1.5-mile track pays off again for regular season champion
With one championship down, Martin Truex Jr. isn’t wasting any time working on the second one. Truex, driver of the No. 78 Toyota Camry, conquered the 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Illinois to win the Tales of the Turtles 400--the first race of the 10-race postseason. Truex is the number one seed in the playoffs and the defending champion of the Tales of the Turtles 400 having won the race last year at Chicagoland Speedway.
Truex entered the Chicagoland race with a series high of 53 playoff points. The playoff bonus points will carry throughout the playoffs except in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Truex’s 53 playoff points are the result of an impressive 2017 campaign during which the No. 78 has won four previous races, claimed 10 top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes and 18 stage wins. The next playoff race is set for Sunday, Sept. 24 in New Hampshire.
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About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a leading destination retailer offering outdoor gear and apparel in an immersive setting. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his fathers liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today 102 retail and marine centers host 120 million people annually. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, Americas Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is known as a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as one of Americas Best Employers.