“It’s speedway racing”: Martin Truex Jr. presses on the uncertain nature of Daytona 500 qualifying

Martin Truex Jr. secured his spot in the 67th running of the Daytona 500, piloting the #56 Tricon Garage Toyota. After stepping away from full-time competition last season, Truex Jr. is back for the season opener, while his former #19 JGR team clinched the pole position with Chase Briscoe behind the wheel.

With nine open entries fighting for a spot in the Great American Race, the battle for the four available positions was expected to be fierce. Former champions Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson secured their spots based on qualifying speed, while IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves is guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500.

The former Joe Gibbs Racing driver was relieved to have secured his spot on speed, acknowledging the unpredictability of the Duel races, where a wreck could end their weekend. The 2017 NASCAR champion added that they can now take a cautious approach in the Duels and focus their efforts on preparing for Sunday's race.

In the post-qualifying press conference, the 44-year-old elaborated on why they felt relieved of the pressure. He said:

"Yes, huge! It's speedway racing, so a lot can happen. You can have a great car, a great plan, execute a great race and something can take you out of it. We can go concentrate on our car for Sunday now and be smart about tommorrow night, if we need to be." [from 1:35]

Open cars competing in Duel 1 include Truex Jr., Justin Allgaier, Helio Castroneves, Chandler Smith, and JJ Yeley. Meanwhile, Duel 2 will feature Jimmie Johnson, Corey LaJoie, Anthony Alfredo, and BJ McLeod. If Castroneves finishes as the best open car in Duel 1, five drivers will be eliminated. However, if he secures the provisional spot, only four will be sent home.

The Duel races are scheduled for this Thursday (Feb. 13), at 7:21 PM ET. The Daytona 500 is scheduled for this Sunday, (Feb. 16) at 2:30 PM ET.

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Martin Truex Jr. puzzled by NASCAR's new provisional rule

NASCAR recently introduced the Open Exemption Provision (OEP), granting a guaranteed spot to "world-class drivers" making one-off entries. However, teams utilizing this provision won’t earn any prize money or points. Trackhouse Racing took advantage of the rule to enter four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves in the Daytona 500.

Martin Truex Jr. was puzzled by the new rule, calling it a "little weird." He questioned why Castroneves was granted a guaranteed spot while 7x champion Jimmie Johnson had to qualify on speed. When asked if he felt the Open Exemption Provision was unfair, he responded:

"I mean, I have to say yes. I mean, I don't see any other, I really don't understand it. I don't see a reason why, he should be in the race and Jimmy Johnson shouldn't be, you know? So it's a little weird to me, but I don't make the rules. I just come here and race." via Dalton Hopkins [from 1:30]

According to Bob Pockrass, NASCAR drivers with elite credentials are eligible for the Open Exemption Provision. However, only one such entry is granted per event. Pockrass speculated that drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. would qualify for the OEP. Teams should apply for provisional entry at least 90 days before the scheduled race.