Martin Truex Jr. could have one final shot at a NASCAR Cup Collection title this 12 months, however a mistake in the beginning of the Southern 500 had him believing he had simply thrown all of it away. Losing control on Lap 3, he slammed the wall, watching helplessly as a 58-point buffer within the Collection’ factors evaporated. Regardless of this, he nonetheless barely made it and is now one in all simply two drivers to advance into the playoffs on factors alone.
“It was fairly wild, truthfully,” mentioned Truex throughout Media Day interviews. “I needed to depart Darlington, dig a gap and crawl into it for a couple of days. It was a horrible feeling. I felt prefer it was the most important mistake I’ve made in my total racing profession, which was fairly unhealthy given what the day was and what was on the road … I used to be pondering that I simply ruined our entire season and the subsequent ten weeks would stink. Now, we have now an opportunity for the subsequent ten to not stink and it’s going to be enjoyable.”
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Retailers Toyota Camry
Picture by: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Truex could not sit on the observe and rapidly left because the race unfolded with out him. Whereas assured within the pace of his race vehicles, Truex famous, “we have now a whole lot of work to do,” as he and teammate Ty Gibbs have fewer playoff factors than the remainder of the sector. He begins the playoffs on the very backside of the standings, already within the elimination zone. It is a very completely different story from final 12 months when Truex entered the postseason because the common season champion. What adopted was a disastrous run, ending no larger than 18th within the first six races. He solely made it to the Spherical of 8 due to bonus factors, the place he was lastly eradicated. He has no such cushion this 12 months, so a single mistake will spell the tip of his marketing campaign to grow to be a two-time Cup champion.
“With this format and the way in which it’s, and never having any bonus factors per se, it’s a reminder it’s important to be on it,” mentioned Truex. “No errors. One mistake and also you’re in all probability achieved. Yeah, we’ll see.”
On the backside of the standings
Whereas playoff factors stay necessary, Ryan Blaney did win the 2023 title because the twelfth seed. Truex is sixteenth out of 16, and asserted that profitable from there’s “positively attainable. You win one race within the first two rounds, that’s a great chunk of factors. You already know, the arrogance and momentum that include it, it’s completely doable. We’re going to should win. I don’t assume we’ll have the ability to level our means into the ultimate 4 from the place we’re at. We’re going to should win some races.”
It has been over a 12 months since Truex’s final victory within the Cup Collection, which got here in July, 2023, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Since being topped champion in 2017, he has been the championship runner-up 3 times. After asserting his plans to retire from full-time competitors, this shall be his final likelihood to affix the unique record of Cup drivers with a number of titles, and solely the third to each win multiple beneath this unstable format.
“I really feel (we will win) at any given observe, on any given weekend proper now,” mentioned the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who has led extra laps this 12 months than another winless driver (489). “I do know individuals in all probability assume I’m loopy saying that due to how issues have gone for us recently, however we’ve had the pace to win a whole lot of races this 12 months and if we will do all of the little issues proper, all of the exhausting issues to do proper, we’ll have the pace to win.”
A former champion with no wins, few playoff factors, and one final likelihood to win the Cup. Truex will definitely be one to look at over the subsequent ten races.
