We’ve been talking about how this year’s championship battle in the NASCAR Cup Series is coming down to a Denny Hamlin vs. Kevin Harvick fight. Rightfully so too. They’ve combined to win nine of the 20 races run including eight of the 16 races run during the pandemic.

But, one driver we can’t sleep on is Martin Truex Jr.

Truex Jr. said last month of his runner-up at the Kentucky Speedway that he felt like that finish would go a long way for them. He felt that they were back. The speed was there as he started last after failing pre race inspection and on a day where everyone struggled to pass, there he was up front.

Unfortunately, he was caught up in a crash a few Sunday’s ago in Texas. Then, in Kansas, that speed was back again as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was third and eighth respectively in the two stages run at the Kansas Speedway, then backed that up with bringing his No. 19 Toyota home in third place. He was third again last Sunday in Loudon too.

That’s three top three finishes in his last four starts on the year and as he notes, he had a top three car at Texas before being wrecked.

Now, it’s to Michigan for two races where Truex has four top six finishes in his last six tries on the Irish Hills race track. He was third and fourth respectively in his No. 19 Toyota last year.

This is a chance to further add to the hot streak before heading to a great stretch of races for him. After Michigan is to a road course at Daytona where no one has experience. But, on road courses in general, Truex has four wins overall and five top two finishes in his last seven tries. If not for Jimmie Johnson wrecking him on the final lap in the final turn in 2018 on the Charlotte ROVAL, then he’d have six top two finishes in his last seven road course starts.

From there, it’s to Dover for two more races. Truex, has six top four finishes in his last seven Dover starts including a win last spring and a runner-up last Fall.

See where Truex can stack good finish after good finish and enter the postseason as hot as anyone?