DARLINGTON, S.C.: Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. entered Sunday night’s Cook Out Southern 500 with a 58-point cushion above the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff cutline, but a crash on Lap 3 will leave the team and driver biting their nails for the remainder of the race.
Truex was battling William Byron for sixth when Truex lost control of his No. 19 BASS Pro Shops Toyota Camry in Turn 2. The contact shot Truex’s car right and into the path of Ryan Blaney who had nowhere to go.
Blaney, who appeared shaken up on the radio moments following the crash, was done for the night and will finish 37th, receiving just one point for his finish.
“Yeah, I was hurt for a little bit, but I think I will be okay,” said Blaney after being evaluated and released from the infield care center. “I am alright. I saw Martin (Truex Jr.) get loose, and I thought he was going to spin to the bottom, so I kind of gassed up to get around him, but it was just terrible timing.
“He overcorrected, and we were just right there. Gosh, I hate wrecking on lap 2. It is one of those things where you think he is going to spin to the bottom, but his rear is hooked up but he just came up.”
Blaney was tabbed as one of the pre-race favorites for the series regular-season finale. Blaney knew he had a good car, too.
“I hate it for everyone at Menards and Ford,” added Blaney. “Our car was great and I just didn’t get any laps. Hopefully, next week goes a little bit better.”
Truex drove his battered race car to pit road, where crew chief James Small determined there was too much damage for the 34-time Cup Series winner, knocking him out of the race with just two laps complete.
Truex, who will be credited with a 36th place finish, also worth just one point, took full responsibility for the crash, calling the situation a “mistake.”
“Yeah, it was all my fault, all my doing,” offered Truex after being evaluated and released from the infield care center. “I got a run on the 24 (William Byron) and went to the inside and thought everything was going fine and the car just took off and I ran into him. Obviously, that was on me.
“I hate it for my guys, Bass Pro Shops, Toyota, everybody. We had a phenomenal race car, and I know this is like the longest race of the year – just a dumb mistake on my part.”
Truex said he was surprised at how much his Toyota Camry slid after the initial contact.
“I was definitely surprised. I didn’t expect – obviously that I’d drive into (turn) one that deep,” explained Truex. “I thought I was going to be fine side-by-side. It just took off on me and I hit the 24 (William Byron) so that’s obviously on me.
“I hate it for my team. You hate to make a mistake that early in the race. All my fault. I hate it for my team, I hate it for (Ryan) Blaney. I apologize to his guys. Just caught me by surprise and just a stupid mistake. Inexcusable.”
Truex, 44, said he wasn’t sure if he would stay around for the remainder of the race.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I honestly have no idea,” offered Truex about staying. “This is miserable. I just hate it for my team and Bass Pro Shops and Toyota – everybody that works so hard on our car on the 19 team. I feel terrible for them – they deserve better. It’s just a mistake.
“It sucks. We’ve had a miserable two months. Fast cars and nothing to show for it. Again tonight – tonight was on me. Sorry to my team and all the guys who work so hard.”
Thankfully for Truex, NASCAR was able to declare by the end of Stage 2 that the No. 19 had secured one of the 16 coveted positions in the 10-race Cup Series Playoffs.
Follow Chris Knight on X (Twitter) @Knighter01 or email at [email protected].
