And just like that Martinsville pole sitter and Joe Gibbs Racing‘s veteran Martin Truex Jr is out of the championship fray. It all came down to the decisive 500-lap race at the half-a-mile track. Heading into the playoff finisher, Truex Jr was well below the cutline with a 17-point deficit.

However, a splendid qualifying run, claiming the pole gave a brief respite to MTJ fans despite the miserable playoff run. Unfortunately, no one foresaw an imminent heartbreak when the #19 driver was eliminated in the final race of the playoff owing to a critical mistake, essentially crushing his hopes of having a 2nd title to his name.

WATCH THIS STORY: The unfortunate gamble: Martin Truex Jr’s NASCAR Cup playoff upset 

Martin Truex Jr kills it for JGR fans as the veteran gets knocked out in Martinsville

Unlike an abysmal last season, Truex Jr started his 2023 campaign strong with a series of impressive performances, clinching the regular season championship. However, that was pretty much it, after making it into the post-regular season in hopes of a 2nd title, MTJ had one of the worst runs in the playoffs.

Rattled with misfortune and inconsistency, the #19 struggled to make a decent finish, a sheer contrast against a splendid regular season campaign. On the positive side, the 42-year-old veteran kept the ball rolling, scrapping past the playoff rounds to keep alive his chances. However, it all came down to the final race of the playoffs- the 500-lap final 4 decider in Martinsville.

It was a must-win situation for MTJ and his JGR teammate, Denny Hamlin. But a critical error in the 219th lap of the race took the driver from the 2nd spot to 22nd in a flash. The #19 JGR was caught speeding in the pit lane as playoff desperations got the best of the veteran. The speeding ticket had adverse effects, getting the driver stuck in the middle of the traffic and ending his championship hopes.

Feisty Fords trump the consistent Toyotas, ending the Japanese manufacturer’s reign

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Short & intermediate tracks have always been the stronghold for the Japanese manufacturer, Toyota. Especially the half-mile track in Martinsville. Toyota’s exceptional track record at the venue also backs this, considering the JGR cars, the #11 and #19 cars together have 8 wins at Martinsville Speedway. 5 of those are Hamlin‘s contributions while Truex Jr has the rest 2 to his name.

Going into the race, JGR fans had high hopes considering the manufacturer’s spectacular resume. However, no one could stop the advance of the feisty Fords. Once Team Penske‘s Ryan Blaney got the lead from Hamlin, it was pretty much over for the JGR cars. Blaney put on a clinic, separating himself from the field, and extending his lead beyond the 2-second mark.

READ MORE: “Nothings Really Gone Right” – Martin Truex Jr Bluntly Addresses JGR Issues Amidst Hopes of Changing Unimpressive Playoff Narrative