Martin Truex, Jr. checked another൩ box off his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series bucket list by taking his first career short track win at the Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond Raceway.

The 2017 series champion prevailed in aꦰ hot duel with defending series champion Joey Logano in the final four laps of the race. The win is his first was thꦺe driver of the No. 19 Auto Owners Toyota Camry in 81 previous short track starts and his series win since Kentucky last July.

Truex♔ began the race’s final 200 lap stage in second place behind Stage 2 winner Joey Logano and ahead of Stewart Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer.

Logano motored ahead on the restart while Trﷺuex, Harvick and Keselowski battled for second with Truex coming out ahead.

Logano led until the yellow flew oꦫn Lap 242 for Michael McDowell’s crash in Turn 1. Truex’s Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew delivered a pristine stop to overtake Logano on pit as his Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski moved followed in third.

Truex held a s🌜teady lead following the lap 253 restart while Keselowski oꦉvertook his teammate for second place and set his sights on the leader.

Keselowski pulled off a pass on the outside in Turn 2 on Lap 266. The lead see-sawed 🍒over𒐪 the next 28 laps before Truex and retook the lead on Lap 294.

Truex built up a lead and made his final pitstop on Lap 318. Fell🀅ow front runners Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer pitted as well. Truex cycled back to the lead with Clint Bowyer in second and Logano in third.

Keselowski pitted𒉰 three laps later which 🏅proved to be his undoing as he lost ground to drivers that had fresher tyres.

Truex initially held the upper hand, but Bowyer cut the lead down to just a few car lengths by 30 laps to go. Bowyer closed alongside Truex but was unable to comp🧔letethe pass.

Bowyer nicked the wall on Lap 387 which brought Logano right back into the fight. Logano d🅷ispatched Bowyer without any exertion and inhaled Truex’s lead.

He was unable to mount a🙈 strong eno📖ugh charge but wound up .178 of a second short.

Logano’s second place is his fifth top five of the season. Bowy𝕴er ended up third with St꧒ewart Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick coming home fourth.

Denny 🐠Hamlin rebounded from starting in the rear after failing pre-race inspection to finish fifth. Austin Dillon ended up sixth as Keselowski picked up a few spജots in the final stint to finish seventh.

Kyle Busch took the win in Stage 1 and led 101 laps but ended his day eighth. He received a speeding penalty on Lap 128 and bobbled around the top ten for much of the race's🗹 final stage.

Ryan Newman took his second straight nin🅺th-place finish, and Paul Menard rounded♋ out the top ten.

The race saw very little attricion as only two drivers failed to finish - Michael McDowell and Kyle Larson. Both dri🧔vers retired due ꦡto crashes.