JOLIET, Ill. | Martin Truex Jr. backed up his regular-season dominance with a victory Sunday in NASCAR’s playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway. Truex solidified himself as the driver to beat over the final nine races as he chases his first Cup championship. Truex raced to his fifth victory of the season and an automatic berth in the second round of the playoffs, earning even more points in his bid to compete for the title in the finale at Homestead.

