HMS Legend Claims Goodyear’s Redemption Could Be a Gamechanger for JGR at Martinsville

It is no secret that the Next Gen car has divided opinions ever since its introduction. Moreover, with Goodyear being the sole supplier of tires, there is plenty of criticism that has come their way. However, their change of setup at the Martinsville Speedway is expected to improve things. Most importantly, it could turn out to be beneficial for Joe Gibbs Racing.

With the Cup Series heading to the penultimate game of the playoffs, there is plenty at stake. While Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have cemented their place in the Championship 4, the remaining two spots will intensify the race.

Joe Gibbs Racing will be counting on Goodyear’s new introduction at Martinsville Speedway

It is the 20th year that Martinsville Speedway will be hosting a Cup Series playoffs race. While the historic track prepares for that, there are plenty of dynamics that could decide the outcome on Sunday. One of them will be how the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers perform.

After Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr were dealt the worst of hands at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Christopher Bell provided great relief to Joe Gibbs when he qualified for the Championship 4 after registering a win. That leaves Hamlin and Truex Jr, who have an uphill task in qualifying for the finale.

While both drivers remain below the cutoff line, there is a lot of unpredictability for them on the weekend. With four other drivers in contention, there are plenty of combinations that could go in their favor. One of them would involve either Kyle Larson or Christopher Bell winning in Martinsville.

This would ensure that the final standings play a key role in determining the Championship 4. Most importantly, this would give both Hamlin and Truex Jr the chance to qualify together. One of the factors that would aid their cause indirectly would be the change of tires Goodyear is introducing in Martinsville.

Speaking about it on the Dirty Mo Dough podcast, former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte explained how the new tires would help. He said, “There’s a new Goodyear tire. It’s faster and has even less fall-off. The weather’s supposed to be warmer so maybe that’ll affect it. But this is a track that you can [use] two tires, no tire, stay out and get yourself track position. That is going to make Larson and Bell a little bit more dangerous.”

The tires will indeed influence the race significantly. However, Denny Hamlin has only one approach set in mind for Sunday.

Denny Hamlin confident of a positive result at Martinsville Speedway

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If there is one driver who could be optimistic about his chances at Martinsville, it has to be Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has five wins, 18 top-5s, and 24 top-10s to his name at the track. In fact, no current driver has been as successful at Martinsville as Hamlin.

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While a win is not necessarily required on Sunday, the #11 driver has his sights clear. Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said, “I guarantee you I will be on kill right from the get-go and treat it as a must-win.”

Despite realizing that it’s an uphill task, he strongly believes in doing well in Martinsville. While Hamlin has been successful at the track, so has Martin Truex Jr. This surely comes as good news for Joe Gibbs Racing, and if things go right, both these drivers could be seen in the finale. Will it happen though? Only time can tell.

READ MORE – Martin Truex Jr & Joe Gibbs’ Team Vehemently Hate Each Other, Claims NASCAR Insider