Martin Truex Jr has not been at his best the past two months. The 2017 Cup Series current regular season’s champion is locked in the round of 8 for this year’s playoffs. Yet, not many seem to be placing their bets on this 43-year-old veteran.

Just a few weeks ago, the New Jersey native was in a precarious situation where he might not have made it into the playoffs. And if it was to roll out that way, he would have been the very first driver to have not made it into the round of 12 despite being the points champion. Though that did not happen, analysts and critics are still not putting their faith in the #19 team.

Things seem to be going in two opposite directions for Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing has the most cars (3) in the round of 8. Technically, that gives the team more shots at the Championship title than anyone else on the grid. While the majority are hopeful that Denny Hamlin will win his first ever Cup title this year, others feel like Christopher Bell could dominate, solely based on the way the #20 team qualifies and wins stages to gather priceless points. But what about Martin Truex Jr?

It seemed likely when JGR fans felt Truex Jr might go for his second title this year. His performance over the course of the regular season said it all. Qualifying well and winning important races, the #19 Toyota icon showed immense prowess. To top it all off, Truex Jr closed the regular season with a hot streak of six top-10s in seven races, three of which were top-5s, including the win in Hampshire.

However, the JGR sensation is perhaps in one of the biggest slumps of his career, highlighted by his worst 7-race stretch since 2009. However, the team should have found some solace in the fact that they are still in the playoffs. But recently, an MRN podcast crew lodged a one-liner, that summed up the current situation of the #19 team.

Jeff Striegle of Motor Racing Network said, “I talked a moment ago about Truex. I just think that team is off just a bit.” However, one might wonder how Martin Truex Jr is still in the penultimate round of the playoffs, despite finishing below 15th in every playoff race.

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And that is solely because of the playoff format that NASCAR brought about back in 2014.

Martin Truex Jr admitted to having made things play to their advantage

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NASCAR’s postseason format is a blessing and a curse, based on how you see it, and Martin Truex Jr has seen all of it. When he was on the verge of getting ousted from the contention, he almost made history (in the worst way possible) that no regular-season champion would want to make: Since the usher of the elimination-style Championship format, no regular-season champion has ever been eliminated in the first round.

Truex entered the final race of the round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite a 19th place finish and merely 2 stage points, he found himself 5 points above the cutline. And now, with the way that the system works, he sits tied with the lead in the driver standings. According to Martin Truex Jr, “I didn’t create the system. We used it to our advantage.”

But is it fair? Or do you think this is not how NASCAR should continue mapping their playoff game? Let us know what you think!

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