Truex’s victory on the 1.099-mile highway course final season was the fourth of his NASCAR Cup profession, transferring him into second on the all-time wins record on the monitor.
Present Hendrick Motorsports government and NASCAR Corridor of Famer Jeff Gordon holds the document with 5 victories at Sonoma.
With Truex unsure whether or not he’ll return subsequent season, Sunday’s race could also be his final probability to tie Gordon’s document.
File-breaking speeds
To take action, nevertheless, he must navigate a a lot totally different and sooner monitor, because of a repave earlier this yr.
“I feel for so long as I can keep in mind you’d come to Sonoma and you’d assume worn out monitor (and) tire put on – rather a lot totally different than it’s now,” he stated Friday. “Now, it’s actually going to be, just about, working qualifying laps each lap with the tires that don’t actually put on out, or fall off a lot.
“Completely totally different strategy than we’ve completed at Sonoma prior to now, however with that being stated, we examined out right here – I felt good about it, and it’s nonetheless the identical course. New challenges, similar course.
“Hopefully. we are able to determine it out and go win quantity 5 right here.”
The altering monitor dynamic was very evident in Friday’s 50-minute follow session.
Speeds have been up dramatically which led to a number of drivers to spin or run off monitor. Greater than half the 38 vehicles that participated in follow ran laps sooner than the earlier monitor qualifying document.
Truex ended up tenth quickest in common single-lap velocity and eighth fast in 10-lap common speeds.
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Retailers Toyota Camry in victory lane
Picture by: Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Pictures
Truex, admittedly selfishly, needs the monitor may have been preserved and not using a full repave.
“We had one thing actually good right here working, and positively, final yr, we did very well with it,” he stated. “We’ve received on each configurations of monitor right here. I’ve received in some totally different race vehicles right here over time, totally different fashions of vehicles, totally different generations of vehicles.
“I feel this may very well be in all probability the toughest one to win of all of them, as a result of it’ll come down to trace place, and being on the correct technique, having good pit stops – we may see a man gamble on when to pit, and catch a warning and win the race – form of come from nowhere.
“I feel there may be going to be extra of an opportunity for an upset or for a man stunning the sphere I feel, this time round.”
MTJ stays winless in 2024
A victory would additionally come at an excellent time for Truex.
Whereas he has had a stable 2024 season, he stays and not using a win and in mired in a 31-race winless streak relationship again to final summer season.
A win at Sonoma would additionally give Truex his sixth Cup highway course victory tying him with Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison, Ricky Rudd and Richard Petty for third on the all-time sequence highway course wins record.
“The monitor goes to proceed to get sooner the extra we run on it, and so, it’ll be totally different tomorrow, it’ll be totally different on Sunday,” Truex stated.
“It’s going to proceed to vary, and we’re going to want to determine what path to go and what path the monitor goes to go, and hopefully preserve our automotive good all weekend.”