The Latest: Truex wins 1st stage at New Hampshire

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) – The Latest on the NASCAR Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (all times local):

5:15 p.m.

Martin Truex Jr. won the first stage of the Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Truex, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick have 14 of this season’s 19 victories. Harvick and Busch each have five, Truex has four.

Truex is winless in 24 career Cup starts at New Hampshire and posted a career-best third-place finish in the July 2007 and 2017 races. Truex would reach a career milestone with a win – he’s never won Cup races in consecutive weeks. He won last week at Kentucky.

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The NASCAR Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway has started after a rain delay of more than three hours.

The race was already moved up an hour to 1 p.m. EDT because of the threat of storms. NASCAR had the track drying Air Titans on standby for when the rain stopped and driver introductions were on hold.

Night racing was not an option because the track does not have lights. The race would need to reach 150 laps to become official. The race is scheduled for 301 laps.

Kurt Busch starts on the pole at New Hampshire and Denny Hamlin is the defending race winner.

Martinsville and Bristol were postponed by rain this season and run on Monday.

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More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.org .

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung poses with the pace car he will drive after taking a practice run before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 22, 2018, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung takes a picture of his name on the pace car before taking a practice run before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 22, 2018, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

Crew members use rollers to remove water from pit lane during a weather delay at the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 22, 2018, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)