VIDEO: Martin Truex’s comfortable points buffer quickly gets uncomfortable with Darlington wreck

(Photo: Greg Engle, CupScene.com)
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The race to defend his points buffer was over for Martin Truex Jr. almost before it began. The No. 19 entered Darlington with a 58-point advantage, not big enough to clinch a spot in the Playoffs but certainly big enough to be comfortable.

It got uncomfortable very quickly. On lap 4, Truex got loose into Turn 1, overcorrected, and slammed hard into Ryan Blaney to his outside. The incident was terminal for both cars. 

Truex acknowledged that he was totally to blame for the wreck that took him out of his final Southern 500 as a full-time driver. 

“Clearly me. Yeah, it was all my fault, all my doing,” he confirmed. “I got a run on the 24 and went to the inside and thought everything was going fine, and the car just took off and I ran into him. 

“The car just slid more than I expected. Brand new tires, usually you can kind of keep them from sliding up into that. Got on the outside and it just took off on me and I got in the left rear of the 24. Wrecked myself, wrecked Blaney. It’s inexcusable for lap one, I know better.”

 

Even with him out of the race, Truex’s advantage remained enough to ensure he advanced unless there was a new winner and both Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher scored enough points to overtake Truex’s total. Though a tall order to knock Truex out, it was not impossible and meant that the destiny of the No. 19 team was out of its driver’s hands. 

“Yeah, I mean, it sucks,” Truex acknowledged. “We’ve had a miserable two months. Fast cars and nothing to show for it. Again tonight – tonight was on me. Sorry to my team and all the guys who work so hard.”

Leaving the infield care center, Truex said he had ‘no idea’ whether he intended to stick around for the rest of the race to watch from the sidelines as other drivers determined the fate of his final full-time season. 

If he did stick around, Truex would have been happy with the result. By the end of Stage 2, Truex had clinched a spot in the Playoffs on points. His point advantage was so great that his competitors needed to bring home big points totals to get around him, and when Chris Buescher failed to score any points in the second stage, Truex’s spot was secured.

Ryan Blaney, the other driver involved, was already locked into the Playoffs by virtue of wins at Iowa and Pocono. However, he was looking to end the regular season on a strong note and pick up valuable Playoff point bonuses that are awarded to each of the top ten. The better the regular season finish, the more points available. 

What Blaney was not looking for was an injury to his hand, which he complained about after getting out of the car. 

“Yeah, I was hurt for a little bit, but I think I will be okay,” Blaney said. “I am alright. I saw Martin get loose, and I thought he was going to spin to the bottom, so I kind of gassed up to get around him, but it was just terrible timing. He overcorrected, and we were just right there.

“Gosh, I hate wrecking on lap 2. It is one of those things where you think he is going to spin to the bottom, but his rear is hooked up but he just came up. I hate it for everyone at Menards and Ford. Our car was great and I just didn’t get any laps. Hopefully, next week goes a little bit better.”

Truex will be hoping for an easier ride next week as the Playoffs start. Ryan Blaney will be hoping for the same, or at least not to be involved if Truex does run into trouble.

Owen Johnson