DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 01: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 1, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/NASCAR via Getty Images)
(Editor's Note: In the week leading up to the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup at Chicagoland, we will be profiling each of the 16 Chase drivers.)
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Seed: No. 6
Team: Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Crew chief: Cole Pearn
Best finish: 1st, Charlotte and Darlington
Age: 36
Hometown: Trenton, N.J.
Martin Truex Jr. has enjoyed the most successful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season of his career.
For the first time in his Cup career, Truex earned multiple wins in a season, winning two of NASCAR's crown-jewel events -- the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500.
In the first 26 races of the season, the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver also collected five top fives, 12 top-10 finishes and three poles.
Five defining moments:
1. Daytona 500 -- Only .010 seconds separated Truex from victory in NASCAR's biggest race after getting edged out by Denny Hamlin at Daytona International Speedway.
2. Pit-road struggles -- Along with the success, Truex has also had to deal with his fair share of bad luck and pit-road issues.
3. Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte -- Truex dominated NASCAR's longest race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, leading 392 of 400 laps on his way to victory. Long-time girlfriend Sherry Pollex (right) shared in the special moment with him in Victory Lane.
4. Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono -- After starting on pole and running third at the time, Truex suffered a blown tire which led to a 38th-place finish -- his worst result of the season.
5. Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington -- Truex won another NASCAR crown-jewel event after holding off Kevin Harvick in a throwback race at Darlington Raceway.
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