CONCORD, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. led a Sprint Cup-record 588 of 600 miles to win the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, racing away from his bad-luck past at NASCAR’s longest race.

Truex Jr. started from the pole, moved quickly out front and led all but eight of 400 laps for his first win in 34 events since June 2015 at Pocono Raceway.

Truex ran strong enough the past year to grab several checkered flags, but something always went awry. He led 141 laps at Texas, yet got strung up by poor pit strategy and finished sixth. In Kansas this month, he was out front for 172 laps until a loose wheel knocked him back to 14th.

A year ago here, Truex led the most laps at 131, but fell to fifth when he pitted for fuel late and four cars, including winner Carl Edwards, stayed out.

Truex never let it get to him.

“I had confidence. I had faith,” Truex said.

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There were no black cats or cracked mirrors this time, just a dominating, prime-time show by Truex to cap racing’s biggest day.

Kevin Harvick was second, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.

Truex took the surprise out of this one early and was barely touched by the field. He was passed by Johnson, a four-time Coca-Cola 600 winner, on a restart 55 laps from the end, but Truex went back in front a lap later and was not pushed again.

He bettered Jim Paschal’s mark of leading 335 laps to win at Charlotte in 1967.

Truex’s single-car Furniture Row Racing team outclassed the armada of multi-car Sprint Cup powerhouses.

“A lot of emotion right now, not real sure it’s sunk in yet,” Truex said. “Real amazing weekend, the kind you dream about.”


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