With a nudge from behind Truex got around then-leader Ryan Preece with 24 of the 150 laps remaining and managed to stay out front despite two late-race cautions and subsequent restarts.
Joey Logano won the inaugural event last year and ended up winning the series championship, leading to good omens for Truex, who had been considering retirement last year before he signed another one-year deal with JGR to remain in the #19 Toyota.
