The Atlanta Motor Speedway will kick off the playoffs and some drivers are already at a disadvantage. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have found themselves at the back of the grid and the only one who was free from this curse is Christopher Bell. What happened here is that Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs are facing the same penalty that has set Denny Hamlin at the back of the grid.

During the qualifiers, Denny Hamlin faced major issues with his car, which led him to qualify 2 seconds behind Harrison Burton. The engine of his car made a loud sound before his performance started to deteriorate. As a precaution, the team decided to have Toyota Racing Development check the engine, which called for the car’s plug wires to be changed in the Nos. 19 and 54 Toyotas.

According to NASCAR, any changes to the engine post-qualifying means the cars will be starting at the back of the pack, putting Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs around the same grid position as Hamlin. This is a terrifying way for a team to start the playoffs, as now they have a tough race ahead of them.

What’s more is that Ty Gibbs was the fastest qualifier in a Toyota coming in at P20 after a single lap time trial. Having him start at the back of the grid is detrimental to the team, and scoring points from behind all the other cars will be an uphill battle.

This is not the start that Martin Truex Jr. wanted during the last full-time season of his career. He will be retiring after the 2024 season, and the penalty has become an obstacle for him to win his second Cup Series title.

Martin Truex Jr. is starting the playoffs in a dangerous position

Martin Truex Jr. last won the Cup Series Championship back in 2018, and ever since then, he has gotten extremely close three times. There is no doubt that he is an extremely quick driver, and the fact that he has not won a single race since the 2023 Crayon 301 in July does not justify his skills.

Despite not winning a race, he has been consistent all through the season and that is how he ended up in the playoffs. Now that he is starting the first race at the back of the grid, the race will be much harder for him if he plans on making it into the top 16.

He is always in the elimination zone because he has not collected enough playoff points through the regular season making the situation worse for him. Truex Jr. will need a win in the early rounds of playoffs to remain in the safe zone.

He decided to move on from full-time racing, but he will be taking on the Daytona 500 next season as a part-time driver for JGR. However, for now, he has his eyes on the championship. Nothing better than leaving on a high and if Truex Jr manages to win the title, it will be the deserved send-off for the man who has given decades to the sport.

Starting at the back of the grid, do you think that Truex Jr has a chance to win the Quaker State 400? Share your thoughts in the comments below.