Martin Truex Jr. has no regrets over losing closest Daytona 500 finish in history

Martin Truex Jr. found himself on the wrong side of history last year, finishing second to Denny Hamlin in the closest Daytona 500 finish in the 58-year-history of NASCAR’s biggest race. Hamlin’s margin of victory: 0.010 seconds.

It would stand to a reason then that as NASCAR returns to Daytona International Speedway for its annual season-opening race on Sunday, Truex would be second-guessing himself on what he could’ve done differently. Not quite. The Furniture Row Racing driver said it took him all of a few days to move past the narrow defeat, and the only time he’s thought much of Hamlin beating him is when he’s asked about it or sees a highlight.

“As bad as it hurt, at the same time, it was kind of cool to be a part of that finish,” Truex said Wednesday at Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway. “That’s really the first time I’ve had an opportunity to win this race, so I guess if you have to lose one before you can win one, that was my losing one, and hopefully next time around I’ll be able to win it.”

On the white flag lap Truex was second and tucked behind Toyota teammate Matt Kenseth, and Truex could see in his mirror that the pack behind them was beginning to scramble and mount a charge. As this happened, Truex figured he was in good position to attempt to make his move either into Turn 3 or off Turn 4 coming to the start/finish line.

But Hamlin unexpectedly got a huge surge of momentum from Kevin Harvick, which propelled him toward the front. Seeing Hamlin fast approaching, Kenseth attempted to block his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate but did so too late and the two made contact that sent Kenseth sliding up the track exiting Turn 4. This setup a drag race between Hamlin, on the outside, and Truex, on the inside, and the resulting photo finish.

“Really, I was in the best position because I didn’t have to do anything,” Truex said. “I just stayed where I was and almost had a shot at it.

Even with hindsight, Truex doesn’t look back on the last-lap sequence with regret. But if he could it all over again, there are two things he could’ve done differently.

“I could have tapped the brake off of [Turn] 4 and not got past him so early, and I’d have beat him,” Truex said. “You think you’re going for the finish line, ‘Tap the brake, dummy. You’re trying to race to the finish line. Why would you ever want to touch the brakes?’ But either that or just run him off the racetrack. I could have done that.”