Martin Truex Jr. watches fuel gambles pay off for others in Coca-Cola 600

CONCORD, N.C. — For Martin Truex Jr., it was like being handed a giant banana split — without a spoon.

After threatening to win again and producing one of his strongest runs of the season at what he called one of his worst tracks, Truex saw fuel-mileage calls by other teams drop him to a fifth-place finish in Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Truex led 131 of the race's 400 laps — more than any other driver. But winner Carl Edwards and others gambled on fuel, hoping they could make it to the end. When they did, Truex had to settle for fifth.

"It feels great, but it hurts so bad," Truex said. "It's a double-edged sword. It feels great to run like that again. I feel like we're going to get one, but I also know how hard it is to get in that position.

"To get race cars like this and to put yourself in position to win, it's so competitive out here. It might be next week, and it might be a year from now."

Truex has 11 top-10 finishes in the first 12 races of the season, but hasn't been able to cross the line into victory lane.

"It's tough to feel like you have a shot and this could be the night," he said. "Then for it to come out like it did with guys just staying out and fuel mileage and all — I don't know.

"I said after the Kansas race that I've never come out on the right side of a fuel-mileage race, and I can't stand it. They suck so bad. Every time it kills me for some reason. I've never gained spots."

Still, there was the great run.

"As frustrating as it is to run fifth, it's fun again," Truex said. "A year ago, we would have given anything to run fifth. We've got to keep that in perspective.

"I've always considered this my worst or second-worst race track. Now we're going to one of my best (Dover International Speedway) next weekend, and I hope everybody's ready because we're going to be fast."

GALLERY: BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH MARTIN TRUEX JR.