Is Martin Truex Jr. out of the playoffs? How have dynamics changed after his penalty and Kyle Larson's Stage wins at Bristol

Martin Truex Jr.'s advancement to the Round of 12 has been jeopardized after a pit road speeding penalty and Kyle Larson securing another stage win at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver entered the Round of 16 finale with a 14-point deficit and is inching closer to his career's final full-time Cup Series battle.

The Brass Pro Shops kicked off with Alex Bowman as the polesitter, but his teammate, Larson, swept both stage wins. During the closing moments of the second stage, Larson overtook Tyler Reddick as the field went green on restart. Truex Jr. was successful in his bid to outmaneuver 23XI Racing's Reddick but couldn't make his way past the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Martin Truex Jr. announced retiring from full-time Cup Series racing earlier this year, in June. Thus, even if the JGR driver runs a part-time Cup schedule next year, he won't be able to fight for the championship after the 2024 season. Moreover, his form in the first two playoff races paints a doubtful picture of the New Jersey native collecting his second Cup Series title.

The #19 Toyota clocked the fourth-fastest speed at the qualifying event and has kept himself among the frontrunners thus far. MTJ came fourth in Stage 1 but missed the mark in the second stage and finished in P2. After two stages got wrapped, Truex Jr. emerged over the playoff bubble with a 3-point buffer.

However, a pit road speeding penalty from second has sent him below the top-20 mark, and there's little to no room for the veteran driver to make a mistake, as it could shatter his playoff prospects. Furthermore, it might result in Martin Truex Jr.'s final Cup Series race for Joe Gibbs Racing.

On the other hand, his teammate Denny Hamlin seems comparatively well-off, as he entered the Brass Pro Shops battle 6 points below the cutline and has been running closely with the frontrunners.

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Martin Truex Jr. is hesitant to go over the "ethical zone" despite the playoff future hanging by a thread

Since marking his debut in NASCAR, with the first race being the 2001 Xfinity battle at Dover Motor Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. has become synonymous with clean driving. Irrespective of how his rival's race against him, the veteran driver has earned the respect of maintaining his calm demeanor throughout the debacle.

However, the situation is different this time with Truex Jr. in the playoff bubble and the 2024 season being his final full-time Cup schedule. Thus, during a pre-race presser, Bob Pockrass recalled the JGR driver's Watkins Glen frustration and asked whether he looked to move out of his "ethical zone" to secure his playoff advancement.

"I'm curious are you willing to go maybe a little bit outside your comfort zone or ethical zone tomorrow night to try to advance," Pockrass asked via CupScene on YouTube (1:58).

"I really don't know, I think it'll have to just depend on the situation where we find ourselves in and what's going on. But most likely not, I'll most like race the same way I always do and hopefully, we're good enough to get the job that way," Truex Jr. replied.

If Martin Truex Jr. fails to emerge from the penalty blow, he will end his NASCAR career with a solitary Cup Series title.