Lo and behold, the Top 8 have arrived! The drivers who failed to qualify in the elimination challenge posed by the Charlotte Motor Speedway were on par with expert predictions prior to the playoff race. Tyler Reddick, renowned for his road course flourish, slid above the cutoff mark, and Brad Kesewloski‘s Achille’s heel ended his journey without sufficient stage points. However, there is one playoff driver who seemed to have lost his groove after the regular season.

With the Championship 4 race approaching at the Phoenix Raceway, veteran racer Dale Jarrett estimated the probable contenders among the remaining playoff racers. And one Joe Gibbs Racing driver was noticeably missing.

Dale Jarrett spelled doom for a champion driver in the Round of 8

How much does the regular season impact the playoffs? Joe Gibbs’s #19 driver would gladly provide the answer. After winning the regular season championship, Martin Truex Jr became a fan favorite to win the playoff championship as well. Unfortunately for Gibbs, whereas Denny Hamlin stuck to his earlier consistency like a powerful glue, Truex could be seen peeling off from the edges.

If not for his regular season performance, the 2017 champion would not have made it so far. Thus, when NBC panelists ventured a wager for the final four contenders, analyst Dale Jarrett differed from Justin Long.

Sticking to his vision of a Gibbs-Hendrick showdown in Phoenix, Long said, “I’m gonna go with William Byron, his teammate Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports. Then I’m going to go with Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. I’m going to call it Hendrick Motorsports versus Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Although Jarrett largely conferred, the racing insider was far more impressed with an RFK Racing entrant. he declared, “Okay that’s great Dustin, you’re 75% right, buddy. I like Byron, Hamlin, Larson also… I think these three drivers have been the best and most consistent, fast all year long. But I’m going to throw in the young man that has had his best season. Chris Buescher, I think, has an opportunity right here to make his way into the championship.”

Watch This Story: Brad Keselowski’s Superstar Shockingly Warns RFK Racing Boss

But can Chris Buescher truly replace the incomparable prowess of Martin Truex Jr?

How RFK Racing’s underdog can actually outperform Joe Gibbs’ champion driver

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Chris Buescher started his season well with a Top 5 finish in the prestigious Daytona 500 race. But he truly came to his own through back-to-back wins in Richmond and Michigan. With another victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Brad Keselowski’s #17 driver ended the regular season with great panache. However, unlike Truex, Buescher showcased his determination to carry that pace into the playoff season.

Buescher’s playoff entry, a first after his rookie season, booked a seat to the next race in Las Vegas right beneath the Top 4 Gibbs-Hendrick stalwarts. Moreover, with two Top 5 and a Top 10 finish, the #17 driver portrayed a higher likelihood of repeating that in the next three races. On the other hand, Truex’s lackluster performance could seriously threaten his overreliance on previously accumulated playoff points.

The next race would be an ideal ground for a much-needed comeback for this Joe Gibbs driver. Could Martin Truex Jr capitalize on his powerful track record at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

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