DARLINGTON, SC – Martin Truex Jr. qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after some nervous moments when he crashed on the third lap of the Southern 500 on Sunday.
Truex slipped behind defending champion Ryan Blaney and both cars were forced into the garage. But after two stages (230 laps) at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR announced that Truex, the 2017 series champion, had been confirmed for the 16-driver field.
Truex is competing in his final full season as a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. He entered the race 58 points clear of the minimum points requirement for the playoffs, which begin next week in Atlanta, and said Saturday he was happy with his position in 14th place on the playoff grid heading into the weekend.
After the accident, Truex continued to watch the race, hoping that the others behind him on the track would not go so far that he would be eliminated.
“It was all my fault, all my doing,” Truex said outside the Infield Care Center.
Truex said he was driving toward William Byron’s No. 24 when the car slid away from him.
“I thought everything was going well and then I collided with him. Of course it was my fault,” he said.
Blaney, like Truex, was taken to the treatment center. The Team Penske driver said he was sore at first but felt he would be OK as he prepares to defend his title starting next week in Atlanta.
“I saw Martin get away and thought he was going to spin out, so I hit the gas to pass him, but the timing was just terrible,” Blaney said. “He overcorrected and we were right there.”
Truex’s JGR teammate Ty Gibbs came into the race without a win in 15th place, while Chris Buescher of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing was in danger of finishing 16th.
Bubba Wallace, who started from the pole, was the first man to leave a playoff position and was 21 points behind Buescher at the start of the race.
Truex’s crash has temporarily knocked him out of the playoffs. Although he’s made it through, he knows he’ll have to turn things around to make it deep into the playoffs.
“It sucks. We’ve just had two miserable months,” he said. “Tonight was my achievement. I feel sorry for my team and all the guys who work so hard.”
