Within the closing laps, Martin Truex Jr. was operating simply contained in the top-ten and one level above the cut-line when he was shoved out of line, four-wide — dropping him down the operating order. On the next restart, he was amongst these collected in a pile-up coming into the esses, forcing him to pit for repairs and recent tires.
Truex was solely in a position to drive again as much as twentieth in extra time and leaves Watkins Glen 14 factors beneath the cut-line regardless of successful the opening stage.
“You get green-white-checkered on the finish of the race, and you already know individuals are simply going to drive via somebody. We have been within the unsuitable lane, on the quick finish of the stick as traditional,” stated Truex, visibly annoyed by yet one more race the place misfortune adopted him. “We have been in an honest spot there with our Camry, and also you undergo the esses, they usually simply plow via you and put you within the marbles. This racing is simply ridiculous.”
The 2017 NASCAR Cup champion is called one of many cleaner drivers on the grid. He was beside himself over the dearth of etiquette in the course of the sector, which has been a problem in late-race restarts at different street programs.
“Simply loopy that every one these races at all times come all the way down to this,” stated Truex in some extra post-race feedback. “I simply do not actually perceive how guys can name themselves the most effective on this planet once they simply drive via everybody on restarts on the finish of those races. It is very irritating, however it’s what it’s today. I am out of right here.”
It was a troublesome day total for Joe Gibbs Racing. Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin have been collected in a Lap 1 wreck, with Hamlin wrecking a second time in a while. Bell ended up being the highest-finishing JGR driver in 14th whereas the remainder have been twentieth or worse. Ty Gibbs leaves Watkins Glen on the bubble, simply six factors up on none aside from teammate Hamlin.
It is trying probably that at the least one JGR driver may see their playoffs finish subsequent weekend within the Spherical of 16 elimination race. For Truex, that is his final probability at one other title earlier than retiring from full-time racing, however he enters the race with seven straight finishes of twentieth or worse.
