FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The Latest on the NASCAR Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway (all times local):
2:40 p.m.
Championship contenders Martin Truex Jr. and Aric Almirola are moving up after having to start Sunday at the rear of the field for the NASCAR Cup race at Texas.
Truex had moved back to 15th in the 40-car field, and Almirola was 19th when a competition caution came out 30 laps into the scheduled 334-lap race. Almirola qualified fourth, before unapproved body modifications. Truex, who qualified 13th, made an engine change after practice Saturday.
The competition caution was put into place after heavy rain overnight washed rubber off the track.
Pole sitter Ryan Blaney led every lap before the first stop.
Clint Bowyer, a title contender who started on the front row with Blaney, made contact with Denny Hamlin after sliding up on the track in the first turn on the first lap. Bowyer was running 37th at the stop.
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2:20 p.m.
Another championship contender was pushed to the back of the field for the start of the NASCAR Cup race at Texas, the second-to-last race before the season finale.
Aric Almirola, who has qualified fourth and was to start on the second row, had to go to the rear of the field because of unapproved body modifications. Martin Truex Jr. had already been moved from 13th to the back for an engine change.
There were several other cars also pushed to the rear for other issues, including the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson after failing prerace inspection twice. Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus are making their 600th start together.
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2 p.m.
Defending NASCAR Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. is starting from the back of the field in Texas.
Truex had qualified 13th but moved to the back of the field for the start of Sunday's race. His team made an engine change in the No. 78 Toyota after practice. He almost won last week at Martinsville to ensure the chance for a championship repeat before Joey Logano's bump-and-run move on the last lap.
Logano, the only driver locked into a championship shot at Miami in the season finale in two weeks, starts eighth.
That leaves three spots still up for grabs for Homestead. Truex is among seven playoff contenders, including all four Stewart-Haas Racing drivers starting in the top seven, who would claim a championship-contending spot with a win Sunday.
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Disclaimer: This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Associated Press (AP) wire.
