NASCAR at Phoenix results: Martin Truex Jr. snaps long winless streak with Instacart 500 victory

Jordan Greer

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NASCAR at Phoenix results: Martin Truex Jr. snaps long winless streak with Instacart 500 victory image

Martin Truex Jr. surged into the lead on a late restart during Sunday's Instacart 500 and cruised to his first victory of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver took the checkered flag ahead of the field by 1.698 seconds to snap a 29-race winless streak and earn his first Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway.

"Phoenix has been a tough one for us, and to come here and win this — I wish it was November, but hopefully we can come back here in November and have a shot at being in the final four," Truex told Fox's Jamie Little after the race. "But man, just so thankful, so proud of everybody at JGR and everybody that makes this possible."

With Truex's victory, there have now been five different winners through five Cup Series races this year. 

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Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights from NASCAR's race at Phoenix on Sunday. Check out all of the highlights you may have missed below.

NASCAR at Phoenix results

PositionDriver
1Martin Truex Jr.
2Joey Logano
3Denny Hamlin
4Brad Keselowski
5Chase Elliott
6Kevin Harvick
7Kyle Larson
8William Byron
9Christopher Bell
10Ryan Blaney
11Aric Almirola
12Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
13Alex Bowman
14Matt DiBenedetto
15Kurt Busch
16Bubba Wallace
17Austin Dillon
18Chris Buescher
19Ross Chastain
20Erik Jones
21Daniel Suarez
22Chase Briscoe
23Michael McDowell
24Justin Haley
25Kyle Busch
26Ryan Preece
27Corey LaJoie
28Ryan Newman
29Tyler Reddick
30BJ McLeod
31Cole Custer
32Quin Houff
33James Davison
34Garrett Smithley
35Josh Bilicki
36Cody Ware
37Anthony Alfredo
38Timmy Hill

NASCAR at Phoenix live updates, highlights from Instacart 500

(All times Eastern)

6:50 p.m. — Martin Truex Jr. wins the Instacart 500 Logano, picking up his 28th career NASCAR Cup Series victory. The top five: Truex, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott.

6:35 p.m. — A late caution as Kyle Busch goes through the spin cycle. 

6:25 p.m. — Stage 2 winner Joey Logano slides past Brad Keselowski and is the leader with 38 laps remaining.

6:20 p.m. — Tyler Reddick slams into the wall. The caution flag is out.

6 p.m. — Martin Truex Jr. is the new leader after scooting past Joey Logano. Only 87 laps to go.

5:55 p.m. — Whoa, close call there for Joey Logano.

5:40 p.m. — Joey Logano takes Stage 2. Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.

5:20 p.m. — Halfway through the Instacart 500, Joey Logano retakes the lead. Corey LaJoie is riding a few seconds behind Logano in second place.

4:50 p.m. — Another caution flag. Cody Ware gets into Anthony Alfredo, and now the No. 38 car is in bad shape.

4:30 p.m. — Ryan Blaney wins Stage 1 over Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

4:15 p.m. — A caution flag comes out. It appears Alex Bowman made contact with Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon before spinning into the wall.

4:05 p.m. — The top five as we hit the competition caution: Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell and Joey Logano.

3:50 p.m. — And we're off. Denny Hamlin wastes no time in taking the lead from Brad Keselowski.

3:40 p.m. — Engines have been fired. The start of the Instacart 500 is coming soon.

3:20 p.m. — NASCAR, The Players Championship, Selection Sunday... yep, we're going to need multiple screens.

2:55 p.m. — Chase Elliott and Quin Houff are heading to the rear of the field.

2:45 p.m. — Kevin Harvick certainly enjoys driving at Phoenix Raceway. Where will he finish Sunday?

NASCAR race start time today

The green flag for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, the Instacart 500, is scheduled to wave at 3:47 p.m. ET.

NASCAR starting lineup at Phoenix

Here is the complete starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR race at Phoenix Raceway, the Instacart 500:

Start pos.DriverCar No.Team
1Brad Keselowski2Team Penske
2Kyle Larson5Hendrick Motorsports
3Denny Hamlin11Joe Gibbs Racing
4Christopher Bell20Joe Gibbs Racing
5Martin Truex Jr.19Joe Gibbs Racing
6Chase Elliott9Hendrick Motorsports
7Kyle Busch18Joe Gibbs Racing
8Ryan Blaney12Team Penske
9Joey Logano22Team Penske
10William Byron24Hendrick Motorsports
11Ricky Stenhouse Jr.47JTG Daugherty Racing
12Kurt Busch1Chip Ganassi Racing
13Austin Dillon3Richard Childress Racing
14Erik Jones43Richard Petty Motorsports
15Ryan Preece37JTG Daugherty Racing
16Michael McDowell34Front Row Motorsports
17Chris Buescher17Roush Fenway Racing
18Kevin Harvick4Stewart-Haas Racing
19Ryan Newman6Roush Fenway Racing
20Matt DiBenedetto21Wood Brothers Racing
21Alex Bowman48Hendrick Motorsports
22Ross Chastain42Chip Ganassi Racing
23Tyler Reddick8Richard Childress Racing
24Cole Custer41Stewart-Haas Racing
25Bubba Wallace2323XI Racing
26Chase Briscoe14Stewart-Haas Racing
27Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse Racing Team
28Anthony Alfredo38Front Row Motorsports
29Justin Haley77Spire Motorsports
30BJ McLeod78Live Fast Motorsports
31Cody Ware51Rick Ware Racing
32Aric Almirola10Stewart-Haas Racing
33Corey LaJoie7Spire Motorsports
34JJ Yeley53Rick Ware Racing
35Quin Houff00StarCom Racing
36Josh Bilicki52Rick Ware Racing
37Timmy Hill66MBM Motorsports
38James Davison15Rick Ware Racing

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.