NASCAR at Kansas 2015: Winners and Losers from the SpongeBob … – Bleacher Report

So, this might sound like an incredibly obvious loser, but bear with me for a second. Coming the week before the All-Star Race in Charlotte, North Carolina, Kansas was a golden chance for a driver without a victory in the 2015 season to not only get a win, but also secure a berth in the Chase and a trip to Charlotte.

With Martin Truex Jr. leading for a good portion of the race—he was out in front for 95 laps—it looked like it might be the night for him to get the win. Unfortunately, the Furniture Row Racing driver was having trouble with fuel mileage and decided not to take any tires on a late pit stop, and ended up finishing ninth.

“We’re going to get one, we just have to finish,” Truex said after the race.

Kyle Larson also was in good position to win not only his first race of 2015, but the first race of his Sprint Cup career. He led three laps and was running right with Truex for a good portion of the race. However, he got caught up in the fuel mileage conservation strategies and cautions at the end of the night as well, and ended up 15th.

Other winless drivers with good finishes were Jeff Gordon (fourth) and Ryan Newman (10th). There’s still time for drivers to get a victory before the Chase, but there’s certainly a bigger sense of urgency with the summer looming.