The NASCAR Cup Series made its way to Martinsville Speedway Wednesday night for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500. This was the first night race in Martinsville since NASCAR began running at this racetrack in 1948. NASCAR implemented a competition caution for lap 60. A pair of Ford Mustangs were on the front row with Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola.
We’re racing at @MartinsvilleSwy! Catch the action right now on @FS1 or stream the #BlueEmu500 at https://t.co/oWWAut6pxx! pic.twitter.com/cWIO5TxZ2q — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
They led the field to the green flag with Blaney on the inside and Almirola on the outside. Almirola was able to get the lead from Blaney on the first lap. There was trouble for the number three team of Austin Dillon as his car was slowed, he was running in the 38th position until his car lost the right rear tire to bring out the first caution of the race.
Both Almirola and Blaney remained in front to restart the race on lap 13. Blaney could not get to the inside line and would fall to seventh place. Almirola’s lead was short-lived as Joey Logano made a move on the inside of lap 20 to get by him for the lead. Martin Truex Jr. was right on the bumper of Logano while Almirola fell to the sixth position. While Logano led, Jimmie Johnson was quietly making his way up through the field, getting into the top ten after starting 21st.
A couple of cars were fading as Denny Hamlin fell to the 26th position after starting 12th, and Brad Keselowski fell to the 33rd position with a possible flat tire. Within sixteen laps, Jimmie Johnson moved up to fourth place, looking to catch Logano. On lap 51, Logano had put his teammate Ryan Blaney a lap down.
Early troubles for @Blaney! After starting first tonight, @joeylogano puts the No. 12 car one lap down in Stage 1. #BlueEmu500 pic.twitter.com/5duo5gZf4D — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 10, 2020
Logano would also put Aric Almirola a lap down before the competition caution came out at lap 61. Alex Bowman got the free pass, and there were now 19 cars on the lead lap. All of the lead lap cars pitted for four tires and fuel with Logano beating everyone off of pit road to maintain the lead with Chase Elliott behind him. Logano and Elliott led the field back to green on lap 69. During the run, Kevin Harvick was having a battery issue, and the caution would come out again on lap 113 after Timmy Hill stalled. Ryan Blaney got the free pass.
Some of the lead lap cars pitted except for Corey LaJoie. Bubba Wallace beat Joey Logano off of pit road. LaJoie took the inside, putting Wallace on the outside.
.@CoreyLajoie and @BubbaWallace restart on the front row as Stage 1 winds down! FS1 | https://t.co/oWWAut6pxx pic.twitter.com/C0zdyrysID — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Corey LaJoie’s strategy did not pay off as his car had older tires while the others had new tires. Joey Logano would get the lead back on lap 121 and would go on to win stage one.
STAGE WINNER: @joeylogano charges back to the front late at @MartinsvilleSwy and takes the opening stage of the #BlueEmu500. pic.twitter.com/aGqaDwoFE5 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Some of the lead lap cars pitted except for Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Matt DiBenedetto, and Michael McDowell. Logano and Bowyer led the field back to green on lap 141 to start stage two.
Since getting the free pass, Ryan Blaney worked his way up to tenth and then fifth nineteen laps later. On lap 202, Joey Logano was challenged for the lead by Jimmie Johnson. Johnson would make the inside pass off of turn one to take the lead.
NEW LEADER: @JimmieJohnson passes @joeylogano for the top spot during Stage 2 of the #BlueEmu500! (📺: FS1) pic.twitter.com/Tbv8ABLB9U — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Ryan Blaney made his way up to third place on lap 218, and a couple of laps later, he would get by his teammate Joey Logano to take the second position. Jimmie Johnson was cruising the rest of stage two. He was lapping cars with every lap he led and would go on to win stage two on lap 261; this was his third career stage win. Matt DiBenedetto got the free pass. Johnson led the field down pit road for four tires and fuel. He would win the race off of pit road with Ryan Blaney coming out second. William Byron had an uncontrolled tire after pitting from the seventh position and would have to start in the rear of the field.
Is tonight the night for the 4️⃣8️⃣? @JimmieJohnson collects his first stage victory of the 2020 season. (📺: FS1) pic.twitter.com/lF3qiMl0av — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Johnson elected to take the inside row, putting Blaney outside. On the restart at lap 272, Blaney was battling Johnson for the lead and would complete the pass, but Johnson was right on him along with teammate Joey Logano. Logano would get by Johnson for second place and was now chasing Blaney. He would get by Blaney with a bump on lap 284 to take the lead.
A lead change … and a little bump. That's @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/yZ4FqJbu9i — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Ryan Blaney would get the lead back from his teammate Joey Logano on lap 307. The sixth caution would fly on lap 326 after David Starr made contact with Erik Jones at turn two. All of the lead lap cars pitted with Logano winning the race off of pit road. Ryan Blaney’s crew member had trouble with the air gun and came out seventh, but too many men over the wall put Blaney at the rear end of the field.
A pair of teammates were on the front row on lap 333 with Logano taking the inside, putting teammate Brad Keselowski on the outside. Aric Almirola was having electrical problems and had to come to pit road to change a battery. All the Stewart-Haas cars ended up having electrical issues during the race. Logano and Keselowski were having a terrific battle for the lead. While they battled for the lead, Chase Elliott was closing in on them. Keselowski would eventually get the lead when Logano ran into a lap car, allowing Keselowski to complete the pass. Another contender emerged in this fight, and it was Martin Truex Jr. He caught Logano for second and chased down Keselowski, getting by him on lap 370 to take the lead.
NEW LEADER: Here comes @MartinTruex_Jr! The @JoeGibbsRacing driver passes @keselowski for the top spot with less than 150 to go on @FS1! pic.twitter.com/QFKeEsQ1MG — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
The seventh caution would come out on lap 397 after the double zero car of Quin Huff hit the turn two wall. All of the lead lap cars pitted for four fresh tires and fuel with Truex winning the race off of pit road followed by Brad Keselowski. During pit stops, Bubba Wallace and William Byron make contact, but the damage was minor.
Truex and Keselowski led the field back to green with less than a hundred laps to go. Unfortunately for one driver, Austin Dillon’s day was done as he had to be helped from his car on pit road. His car had crushed panels on the side, causing a lack of air coming into the car. The temperature for the race was in the high 80’s, and this caused health issues for the drivers. He was treated and released after the race. Meanwhile, there was no change in the top two with Logano sitting in third, but not for long as his teammate Ryan Blaney was coming for that position with fifty laps to go.
With less than 50 to go, @MartinTruex_Jr leads, but @Blaney is coming! Get to @FS1 or https://t.co/oWWAut6pxx to see who takes home the victory tonight at @MartinsvilleSwy! pic.twitter.com/7Zbi6yx0Td — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
Blaney got by Logano for the third position on lap 449 and now turned his focus on his other teammate Brad Keselowski for the second position. It only took him seven laps to catch and pass Keselowski for the second position. He had a lot of work to do to try and catch Truex, who was cruising. Truex would go on to win the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500. Blaney finished second just a little over four seconds behind Truex.
Retweet to congratulate @MartinTruex_Jr on his second consecutive win at @MartinsvilleSwy! #BlueEmu500 pic.twitter.com/RWKBgCEgNs — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 11, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Brad Keselowski third, Joey Logano fourth, Chase Elliott fifth, Alex Bowman sixth, Matt DiBenedetto seventh, William Byron eighth, Kurt Busch ninth, and Jimmie Johnson tenth.
There was a total of thirteen lead changes by eight drivers with seven cautions on the night. For Martin Truex Jr., he now has won in back-to-back victories at Martinsville. The Cup Series will now head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Dixie Vodka 400 on Sunday at 3:30 pm on FOX.
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