Martin Truex Jr. to start last, faces penalty at Indy after failing pre-race inspection

Martin Truex Jr. is set to start Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the last position after failing to pass the pre-race inspection. According to reports, the number 19 car made an unapproved adjustment.

Truex Jr. qualified in 14th place on Saturday's qualifying, ahead of AJ Allmendinger and behind Alex Bowman. The JGR driver clocked 49.979 on the timesheet as his best time and had 180.076 as his top speed.

However, all efforts went in vain as NASCAR stripped Martin Truex Jr. of his position after he was found with an "unapproved adjustment." Besides stripping his place, reports say that his car chief Chris Jones was ejected.

"After passing pre-race inspection, the No. 19 team made an unapproved adjustment," NASCAR's official X account shared. "The No. 19 car will lose pit stall selection, start at the rear of the field and perform a drive-through penalty after taking the green flag Sunday at."

Interestingly, the #19 Toyota Camry was found with an unapproved adjustment after the first adjustment was done. However, after the penalty, NASCAR re-inspected the car, and it passed this time.

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The penalty could prove monumental for Martin Truex Jr.

Jul 20, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (19) and driver Christopher Bell (20) talk during qualifying for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Martin Truex Jr. is in his final season in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the penalty means he has to start Sunday's race from the rear of the grid, that too at his last Indianapolis race. As he starts from the last position, one cannot expect him to win until a miracle arrives.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has yet to win a race this season, but thanks to his points, he can see himself through to the playoffs. He is currently in sixth place with 640 points after 21 races. He has four top 5s and nine top 10s to his name.

NASCAR is in the racing capital of the world, Indianapolis for the 22nd race of this season. Chase Elliott is leading the championship with 703 points, followed by Kyle Larson with 700 points and Tyler Reddick with 688 points.