CHARLOTTE: Martin Truex Jr., rode the rollercoaster of emotion in the Southern 500—the final race to determine the 16 drivers who will compete for the NASCAR Cup.
In his final season of full-time competition, the 44-year-old former champion was flirting with Playoff elimination on Sunday after triggering a wreck and totaling the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota three laps into the race.
Truex was so disgusted with himself, he left the track not knowing his fate.
“It was pretty wild honestly,” Truex said. “I wanted to leave Darlington, dig a hole and crawl in it for a couple of days. It was a terrible feeling.
“I felt like it was the biggest mistake I had made in my entire racing career—and that’s pretty bad, especially given what the day was and what was on the line.
Other than Tyler Reddick, who won the regular-season title at Darlington Raceway while battling a stomach bug, Truex endured the greatest swing of sensations. He started fifth and finished 36th.
Truex entered the regular-season finale 13th in the Playoff standings with a 58-point buffer above the bubble. Yet without a win—and with just three stage wins—Truex didn’t have much of a cushion, particularly since his ability to bank additional points had evaporated at Darlington.
“All I could think of was I ruined our whole season, the next 10 weeks are going to suck,” said Truex, who slipped into his 11th postseason title battle by a mere six points.
“Obviously, glad we made it. Now, we have a chance for the 10 not to suck. It’s going to be fun.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do. Ready to get after.”
Truex is starting near the cellar. He is now seeded 15th in the standings. But having raced in eight Playoffs since NASCAR introduced the new system in 2014—and advancing to the Championship 4 five times winning the title in 2017—he understands the challenge.
“You win one race in the first two rounds, that’s a good chunk of points,” Truex said. “The confidence and momentum that come with it, it’s totally doable. We’re going to have to win. I don’t think we’ll be able to point our way into the final four from where we’re at. We’re going to have to win some races.”
One year ago, he won the regular season but fell apart during the Playoffs. Still, he and the No. 19 crew don’t expect to change their approach: “Prepare as best we can and go try to execute.”
While the first round of racetracks, which includes Atlanta Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Bristol Motor Speedway, appears to be a crapshoot for some drivers, Truex isn’t
fazed. He finished 12th at Atlanta in February, second at Bristol in March and has seven results of seventh or better at Watkins Glen including his 2017 win and four podium finishes.
Truex believes the experience of navigating the Playoffs through four rounds and inevitably the championship improves his chances to prosper in the postseason.
“It’s easier to deal with the emotions when you’ve been through it before and you’re not scared to death thinking your career is going to be over you’re not going to win a championship, as you already have,” Truex said. “It helps keeping you calm and focused and hopefully it’ll help us.”
When asked to describe his 20-plus years in the NASCAR Cup Series, Truex says, “Stressful,” with a laugh. After winning consecutive Xfinity Series titles and 12 races during the 2004-2005 season, the Mayetta, New Jersey, native never expected the pitfalls that would follow with three racing operations crumbling around him as he attempted to build his career.
Ironically, the last six seasons with No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team comprise his longest tenure with an organization in Cup. Although he still hasn’t won that second championship, 15 of his 34 Cup wins and 108 of his 289 career top 10s have been scored at JGR. Despite his humility, Truex isn’t surprised by his own success.
“I always dreamed I could,” Truex said. “Always thought I could. But in this sport and in life in general, that’s all just talk. So, it’s been fun to get it done a few times.
“But happy to be (in the Playoffs). Certainly, better than being out so we’ll give it our best shot.”
Denny Hamlin will miss Truex at JGR next year. Over the last six seasons, Hamlin has come to appreciate his teammate. He’s already offered him a ride for the 2025 Daytona 500 in a 23XI Racing Toyota. On Wednesday, Truex confirmed that his former crew chief Cole Pearn will come out of retirement to assist him.
“This sport can forget about you really quick,” Hamlin said. “I just hope we don’t forget about Martin, because his career accomplishments are so highly regarded from my standpoint. While he might not have as many wins as I have, he hasn’t been with championship-caliber teams all of his career like I have.
“I think he’s a grossly underrated driver. We had to fill out a survey earlier, ‘Who is the most underrated?’ and I put Martin Truex is the most underrated driver. He makes himself the most underrated because he doesn’t want to talk about himself. He doesn’t want to talk about his accomplishments because he’s a very modest human. He doesn’t want the fanfare.
“I will sing his praises for him, that he’s simply been the best.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
