The New Hampshire Motor Speedway race turned out to be a red-letter day for Martin Truex Jr, leaving him beaming with joy as he clinched victory on the track where his father tasted victory too. However, right before the final lap, his mood took a sour turn when his teammate, Christopher Bell, made a mistake that left Truex frustrated. The #19 driver didn’t hold back and vented his frustration while speaking to his crew chief.

During a recent podcast, Brett Griffin discussed whether Truex’s remarks were humorous or if he was genuinely serious. To the surprise of many, the NASCAR insider present on the podcast stood firmly behind the New Hampshire champion, supporting his feelings of frustration.

Did Martin Truex have a bone to pick with Christopher Bell, or was it all in good fun?

Despite Martin Truex’s victorious run, Christopher Bell could have easily been a strong contender for the win. Unfortunately, with just 14 laps left, Bell’s race took a nosedive as he crashed into the wall, putting an abrupt end to his day. Truex didn’t seem pleased to see the caution, being so close to victory, and voiced his frustrations to his crew chief, James Small. When he asked how Bell wrecked, Small explained that Bell lost control on the entry of turn 3 and ended up backing it into the wall.

Truex’s response, however, caused a bit of controversy, with some feeling that he wasn’t supportive enough. He stated, “We should have a company policy that says when one of your teammates is leading, don’t f****** crash by yourself.”

Controversial Insider, Brett Griffin, who serves as a spotter for Kaulig Racing, stood by Truex’s statement. During a discussion with Freddie Kraft, Griffin asserted, “Maybe you don’t want to go to the edge here, you know. I see you out there hustling; I see you ever driving it, maybe for the company; maybe you shouldn’t be doing this. So this is an error on Christopher Bell’s part”

“And luckily for Joe Gibbs Racing and Martin Truex Jr., it didn’t cost him the win, but Martin means what he said,” Griffin emphasized that Truex’s frustration was genuine and not meant as a joke.

He acknowledged that drivers always strive for the best positions for themselves, but at the same time, they must consider the implications their actions may have on their team as a whole.

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Griffin highlighted, “But you don’t want to screw. Well, you don’t want to have to sit in that Tuesday debrief, but Joe Gibbs looking at you like, ‘You dumbass,‘ we were going to win the race till you wrecked running by yourself.”

Could Christopher Bell win if it weren’t for the wreck?

If not for the early pit road blunders and a late crash, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell could have been right up there with Truex in the final showdown.

Truex was positioned right behind him, setting the stage for a thrilling battle between the two Toyotas. As the race progressed, Bell hovered around the sixth to tenth positions, seemingly out of contention for the win. However, a timely caution by Noah Gragson with 30 laps to go gave Bell a chance to fight back.

With a call for four tires, Bell started to charge through the field until his hopes were dashed by a devastating crash into the wall with just 14 laps remaining. When asked about the cause of the wreck, he simply replied, “Yeah, just got loose over the bumps and spun out.”

Though his day concluded with a disappointing 29th-place finish, Bell acknowledged the speed of his car. While Truex dominated, leading nearly 84% of the race, Bell showed great promise in the initial run.

While wrecks are a dime a dozen in NASCAR races, it’s hard to say if Martin Truex Jr’s frustration was warranted. What’s your take on it? Let us know your thoughts!

Read More: After Being Publicly Called Out By Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell Gets No Mercy From Denny Hamlin