The pressure of being in a NASCAR Cup Series playoff race is immense. However, with 3 of its drivers in the final 8, can Joe Gibbs Racing make it 3 out of 4 in the championship race in Phoenix? Much of it depends on their drivers, who have had to endure a topsy-turvy playoff campaign. On a more profound note, it is surprising that their worst performer so far has been regular-season champion Martin Truex Jr.

Being the worst among 3 of your team’s drivers is not an ample sample space to be worried about. But looking at how he has fared in all the playoff races, you might be surprised to find the 2017 Cup champion still alive and kicking in the competition. JGR’s other two drivers, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have been some of the best cars in the same period, starkly contrasting with Truex’s.

Martin Truex Jr. has a chance to revive his season

At Charlotte, Martin Truex Jr. still failed to shake off his poor form as he finished 20th, gathering 27 more points for his title push. The pattern has stayed the same since the first playoff race at Darlington. To make things better for Joe Gibbs and co., the upcoming venues for 3 races of the final 8 drivers could mean better things for the #19 team. Although Truex is one of the most experienced drivers with a championship to his name, he has not yet found his groove on the track.

Truex scraped through to the round of 8 barely. Had an in-form Kyle Busch managed to go into the lead in the final laps, it would have pushed Truex back to the bottom 4 instead of him. It looks like Truex will have to stick to the ‘all is well that ends well’ proverb. Discussing the chances of Truex winning in the next three races is MRN Radio broadcaster Alex Hayden. Answering a question on Truex’s odds, he said,

“I think so. Performance is everything. When you perform as well as you did in the regular season, then come playoff timing you can’t even get a top-15 finish in any playoff race? Yeah, they’ve lost something. “

It’s worth thinking that what could have Joe Gibbs Racing to lose has pushed their best driver of 2023 to mediocrity. An average finish of 21.3 clearly implies that he has not lived up to expectations. Despite that, Truex Jr. is still the second-seeded driver behind Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, and that gives him an advantage over six other drivers.

Read More: Falling Short of Playoff Goal, Was Leaving Joe Gibbs a Good Decision for Kyle Busch?

How does the schedule favor Joe Gibbs Racing’s #19 team?

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The three tracks up next on the schedule are Las Vegas, Homestead Miami, and Martinsville. Despite being winless at Homestead so far, Martin Truex Jr. has a decent average finish of 7.0, which could mean he is competing for a top-5 position. Las Vegas, on the other hand, arrived at a good time for Truex Jr. With seven races at the track and an average finish of 8.0, he has a fair chance with some of Las Vegas’ best drivers out of contention.

Martinsville has been rewarding at times for the former champion as well. 7 races, 2 wins, and 4 top-5s and top-10s can be considered a strong record, certainly. Continuing the conversation, Hayden informed me that at this stage of the competition, minor mistakes can prove to be costly. Being astute and confident really is the key for Truex if he wants a shot in Phoenix.

“It doesn’t take much at this level. It can be the most minute thing and it’s all with the details. When you miss one detail here or two details there, you’re going to be behind the competition. Moving forward for Truex though, I’m concerned. Highly concerned. These tracks aren’t awful for MTJ. He’s good at Las Vegas Speedway. He’s good at Homestead Miami. He’s been very good at Martinsville Speedway. So there’s opportunity there.” claimed Alex Hayden.

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With a formidable set of opponents lining up against him, Martin Truex Jr. could even face the biggest competition from his own teammates who are in significantly better shape than the #19 Camry.