USA Today via Reuters
Jul 22, 2023; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr looks on during practice and qualifying for the HighPoint.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jul 22, 2023; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr looks on during practice and qualifying for the HighPoint.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Entering the playoffs with the most points, Martin Truex Jr. now faces the looming threat of not advancing to the second round. Truex entered the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the No. 1 seed, tied for points with William Byron. However, just two weeks later, he finds himself teetering on the edge of elimination from the first round. What has caused this sudden jeopardy?
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It appears that two unfortunate incidents in the initial playoff races are to blame. Remarkably, Martin Truex Jr. has consistently advanced from the first round of the playoffs in his seven previous appearances. However, the odds for the upcoming Bristol race have taken a dramatic turn for the Joe Gibbs driver, and a former crew chief from HMS has revealed staggering odds against Martin Truex Jr.
Will Martin Truex Jr. be eliminated after Bristol?
After bending a part of his #19 Toyota during the Kansas practice session, the team grappled with its consequences throughout the weekend. Now, Bristol Motor Speedway is their hope for a significant turnaround of fortunes.
Martin Truex Jr.’s past results at the half-mile concrete oval haven’t been impressive. In his 32 starts on the track, the #19 Toyota driver has only managed two top-fives and four top-10s. It would be the season’s most shocking development if the regular season champion were to crash out of the title hunt in the first round.
Steve Letarte, the former crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports, expressed his belief that Martin Truex Jr. might not advance to the next round of the playoffs during the podcast ‘Dirty Mo Dough’. He stated:
“Final race of the first round of the playoffs, Martin Truex Jr. has the opportunity to be the first regular season champion to not advance out the round of 16, that’s gonna be the big issue if that happens, big issue.“
Despite Truex Jr.’s hopes for a positive outcome at Bristol, he acknowledged the potential challenges that could trouble their performance.
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“Bristol hasn’t been my favorite place”- Martin Truex Jr’s looming threat
Facing a must-win scenario alongside Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace, and Stenhouse Jr, Martin Truex Jr. is determined to qualify for the best possible result at Bristol. While the #19 Toyota has demonstrated good speed throughout the season, Truex expressed his concerns about the upcoming Bristol race in a recent interview.
He said, “Bristol hasn’t been my favorite place, but we’ve had some good runs there, too. I think we’ve been competitive there over the years. It’s a place that’s tight and things happen fast there, so you have to be on your toes.”
Martin Truex Jr. also disclosed their strategy, stating that they will give their best effort, strive to run up front, and remain hopeful for positive outcomes. However, he emphasized the importance of focusing on what they can control. What are your thoughts on this approach?
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