Bass Pro in NASCAR spotlight as Truex delivers

Bass Pro Shops-sponsored Martin Truex Jr. delivered his third NASCAR win of the season over the Memorial Day weekend.

Truex took first place Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600, which at 600 miles is the longest race in NASCAR, according to a post on the racing league’s website.

At Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, Truex earned the top spot after rebounding from a flat tire earlier in the day.

“This is just a special race,” Truex said in the post by the NASCAR Wire Service. “The longest race of the year. So much history. What this weekend means for all the soldiers and all those that have given the ultimate sacrifice so we can even be here.”

Bass Pro’s logo is featured prominently on the hood of Truex’s No. 19 Toyota Camry, as well as on his uniform and hat. Bass Pro’s Tracker Boats branding also is featured.

The Coca-Cola 600 victory followed 2019 season wins at Dover International Speedway and Richmond Raceway, according to NASCAR.com.

At the start of the season, Bass Pro transitioned with Truex to the Joe Gibbs Racing team. Truex previously drove for Furniture Row Racing, which closed at the end of 2018. The Springfield-based outdoor retailer signed on as Truex’s sponsor in 2017 after a seven-year break with the driver, according to Springfield Business Journal archives. Sponsorship terms have not been disclosed.