Joe Gibbs Racing hit a lean patch at the worst possible time in the season before the playoffs. While there have been questions surrounding Denny Hamlin’s steep decline in form, the same can be said for Martin Truex Jr. After all 2024 is the veteran driver’s last shot to repeat the championship triumph of 2016.

However, given how things have panned out for the #19 team, his hopes for a strong playoff run are looking grim. The Atlanta race shed light on the brewing concerns at JGR, where they just couldn’t help their star drivers run up the field. However, in Truex Jr.’s case, he managed to put off a strong recovery from an inferior starting position. But the No. 19 Toyota Camry just wasn’t keeping up with his demands.

“Drives like complete (expletive), and it’s slow. How can we be so slow and it drives bad?” he said during the race before he got caught in a wreck and ended the day with a DNF. Unlike other drivers competing in the playoffs, MTJ doesn’t have a point buffer or safety cushion.

Martin Truex Jr. isn’t sure about his plans to keep his championship hopes alive

The #19 team’s current situation is a perfect example of a story that has two halves. In the first 12 races of the season, Truex Jr. and his team looked like genuine title contenders. However, since he announced his retirement, he’s hit a brick wall, unable to string a streak of good runs or compete for wins.

So what is the cause behind his stalled progress and a sudden shift of momentum going into the playoffs?

Well, it looks like the driver himself is trying to solve that mystery. “I really don’t know. It’s obviously a little bit of a hole to dig out of. It was unfortunate last week when we got caught up and got some damage,” he said ahead of the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen.

In the last five races, Martin Truex Jr. hasn’t been able to keep his car safe from crashes and wrecks. And, this has resulted in three DNFs for the team, and for the most part, it wasn’t his own doing. Rather, he’s been on the receiving end of someone’s mess. “Just a little bit frustrated with how things have gone our way lately. It’s like no matter what we do, we can’t catch a break,” the veteran driver added.

Martin Truex Jr. went with a 19-point difference into this weekend. A win certainly looks like a long shot for the driver at the road course race, so what will be his approach for the upcoming two races? Well, he does have a good track record at the 2.45-mile track in New York that he can bank on.

Truex Jr. and his team have their backs against the wall

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Lack of speed isn’t the issue for the #19 team, but unforced errors on the pit road and DNFs have cost them dearly. Fortunately, the next race could allow the veteran driver to mount a comeback run and get his playoff run on track. Watkins Glen has been one of his favorite racing venues; he emerged victorious at the Glen back in 2017. And in his last six starts, he has four finishes of third or better.

“I feel really good about it, honestly. We should be able to perform well here, and I’m excited. It is going to be interesting this weekend with tires that they’ve brought and the falloff that everyone is talking about. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I’m excited about it, and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity this weekend and going to have some fun at a place I like,” he said before the race.

All Martin Truex Jr. needs is a solid race finish; if not a win, a good top-5 finish would help him gain ground on his rival. But again, they will have to avoid the chaos and hit their markers to deliver a solid run.