In the wild world of NASCAR, it’s been a rollercoaster ride for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2023 season. After a few lackluster seasons, they’re back with a vengeance. The Toyota powerhouse has roared back to life, and it’s their cars that everyone’s trying to catch. While we’re on the topic of jaw-dropping moments, let’s talk about the regular-season champ. The No. 19 team strutted into the regular season with their heads held high, but it’s been a rocky road ever since. Martin Truex Jr. and his gang also cling to their regular-season championship points like a lifeline.

As we approach the season finale, unlike Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. has been riding a rollercoaster of emotions. The pressure’s on, and he’s got just one race left to rev up that Toyota and secure a spot in the championship 4. But not everything’s smooth sailing at JGR.

Martin Truex Jr.’s playoff rollercoaster: From Vegas misstep to Miami misfortune, a frustration-fueled descent

Last weekend’s showdown at Homestead Miami Speedway was like a wild dice roll in the playoff standings, and it hit the JGR duo of Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. like a freight train as they found themselves tumbling down the order, now perilously below the elimination line. It all came down to those treacherous final laps that spelled doom for the Gibbs camp.

First up, Hamlin suffered a catastrophic setback when he slammed into the outside retaining wall in Turn 1. With 32 laps to go, he reported a steering issue over the radio. Meanwhile, Truex Jr. had a caution flag, and the spotlight shifted back to the Gibbs garages. Smoke billowed from the No. 19 car, and it was clear that something had gone terribly wrong. But the chaos inside the garage didn’t come out of the blue.

“Everything has gone wrong,” lamented crew chief James Small as the No. 19 was wheeled into the garage. “Every conceivable thing.” Truex, in the midst of the tumult, was in the cockpit, grappling with a race car that had turned against him. His radio excerpts revealed the frustration and desperation in his voice, “Get a f*cking pit stop. Need to get my car right. Just out here doing it all myself. Can’t tell me I ain’t driving right. F*cking awful.”

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Joe Gibbs refuses to wave the checkered flag on playoff hopes 

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Within a single lap of each other, the JGR stalwarts had their bags packed and ready for an unexpected exit. It was a nightmarish scenario for the Gibbs team, but they’re not throwing in the towel just yet. In a post-race interview, team owner Joe Gibbs expressed his disappointment over the playoff standings but maintained an optimistic outlook, firmly believing that the battle is far from over until Martinsville.

Gibbs told the media, “I think it’s hard to get in the Final 4. I’ll tell you that. I don’t think anything’s a given. Certainly, the 19, with all they did in the regular season, as good as they are, we’ve had real disappointments with everything that’s happened.” He acknowledged the ups and downs his team had faced, especially in these crucial moments.

Joe Gibbs continued by saying, “We still got a chance. That’s the way we look at it. I think we’re going to Martinsville, it’s going to be a classic, I’m sure. But we do have a chance. We go there with both Denny and Martin…”. While the veteran duo faced misfortune, Christopher Bell brought home the win for JGR as he secured his ticket to the championship 4. The question now lingers: Do you think the regular season’s P1 and P2 drivers, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., will make it to the grand finale?

Read more: Martin Truex Jr’s Safety Net Keeping Championship Hopes Alive Despite Horrendous Form Could Force NASCAR’s Hand