Las Vegas Motor Speedway, notorious for its high-speed battles and high banking, was once again the stage for tire woes during the opening race of the Round of 8. The race was in its closing stages when Ty Gibbs, the grandson of NFL and NASCAR legend Joe Gibbs, found himself in the midst of a chaotic 4-wide battle for 12th place in turn 2. It was at this tumultuous moment that his wheel decided to part ways with his car, leaving him to navigate the race on three wheels.

The unexpected wheel mishap was a significant blow to Ty Gibbs and Joe Gibbs Racing, but it has broader implications. Martin Truex Jr, who had recently expressed confidence in the tires on Joe Gibbs Racing cars, found himself in an awkward predicament. His assurance in the tires’ performance was soon put to the test as NASCAR took a stringent stance in the face of Ty Gibbs’s misery.

NASCAR hits down hard on the grandson of Joe Gibbs as Martin Truex Jr has to eat his words

In the practice session of the South Point 400, tires became the focal point of the day, and not for the right reasons. Both playoff contenders from Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Larson and William Byron, faced tire troubles during practice, leading to discomfort and prompting swift action on pit road. Chase Elliott was even less fortunate, as his right rear tire exploded only 15 laps into the practice session. The damage from the crash left him unable to complete the qualifying laps, forcing him to start at the back of the grid.

For Martin Truex Jr, who had previously conveyed his confidence in the tires, this incident was an unexpected twist. In an interview with Fronstretch, the 2017 champion was asked about his tire performance, especially in light of the difficulties encountered by Chevrolet cars. Demonstrating his determination to make a strong comeback during the Round of 8, Truex Jr playfully knocked on his head for good luck and declared, “No, no, our tires are great. Knock on wood.”

However, as it turns out, it was a statement made too early. His teammate and Joe Gibbs’s grandson, Ty Gibbs, lost his wheel on lap 217 in a 4-wide battle for 12th place. After the fact, NASCAR decided to hold his car for 2 laps. During this time, no crew member could work on his car as a penalty for the wheel coming off. Bob Pockrass tweeted to inform the stock car racing fandom of the commotion: “Gibbs will still be held two laps (can’t work on the car during the two-lap penalty) for wheel coming off.”‘

Watch This Story | Martin Truex Jr’s Playoff Hopes Dim as Joe Gibbs Racing Struggles

Ahead of the first race in the Round of 8, Martin Truex Jr is looking to turn a new leaf and forget his recent playoff woes.

Martin Truex Jr confident of a strong start to the Round of 8

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The latter half of the season has not been kind to Martin Truex Jr. Despite accumulating the highest playoff points in the regular season, his performance in the playoffs has been less than stellar. He has had an average finish of 21.3 which ranked him at the bottom among all playoff contenders. But the playoffs offer a fresh start with each new round, and Truex Jr is determined to make the most of it.

His earlier playoff points have kept him in contention, securing him a second-place standing, despite his recent struggles. He holds the highest average finish (10) among the eight playoff racers on the 1.5-mile track. For Truex, the path forward is clear. He stated, “These last six races are done and over with. And we’ve turned the page. So we started this weekend off good, had a great day today in practice and qualifying. And that’s all you need to get things going.”

However, as the race ended on Sunday with Kyle Larson taking the win, Truex could only manage a 9th place finish and is now below the cutline in 6th place right behind Tyler Reddick.

READ MORE: “James Small S**ks”—Fans’ Anger Boils Over as Joe Gibbs’s Star Employee Leaves Martin Truex Jr Out to Dry

So, do you think Truex Jr can turn around his fortunes in the round of 8? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.