Martin Truex Jr. completes 500th start of career

Martin Truex Jr. has now done something in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 41 other drivers have done.

Truex Jr. raced in his 500 points-awarding event in NASCAR’s elite series after winning Stage 1 and finishing fourth in the Consumers Energy 400 Sunday (August 11) at Michigan International Speedway.

Prior to Truex, Kyle Busch was the most recent driver to hit the 500-start mark with his sixth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February of this season.

“Thanks to everyone back at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), Toyota and TRD,” Truex said. “The Auto Owners Camry was a rocket ship today, just didn’t get to show it at the end.”

The first driver to ever reach 500 starts was Buck Baker in August of 1964 at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway, finishing fifth.

If Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer compete in each of the remaining 12 Cup Series races, they will make their 500th Cup Series start by the end of the season. Hamlin has 492 career starts and Bowyer 491.

SOURCES
Racing-Reference.info
Toyota Racing