Denny Hamlin reacts to Martin Truex Jr.’s ‘tough’ season, playoff chances

Denny Hamlin is beginning to feel some sympathy for his teammate Martin Truex Jr. regarding the difficulties the veteran wheelman has faced during his final full season behind the wheel.

Due to a myriad of reasons, Truex Jr. hasn’t been able to get to Victory Lane, but he was at least able to make the playoffs. However, he’s in a precarious position at the moment, as his lack of victories has forced him to rise above and utilize mistake-free driving to advance to the next round, which didn’t get off to a great start in Atlanta.

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The veteran Joe Gibbs Racing star ended up finishing P35 on the afternoon, and he’s now 18 points below the cut-line for the Round of 12. On the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin gave his reaction to the hardships that Truex Jr. has gone through in 2024.

“They’ve certainly not had the year that they have been hoping for, by any means,” Hamlin said , regarding his teammate. “So, tough on that No. 19 team, and I hate it for Martin, because, you know, he’s kind of getting caught up in some other people’s things, which is a bummer in your last year. But I think, if you would probably ask him, he would say good riddance Atlanta. He’s done with that place.

“Yes, he’s certainly capable of that. It’s historically been one of his best tracks. The Next Gen era hasn’t been quite as nice to him, but he’s a threat, absolutely a threat.”

If Truex Jr. is to advance to the Round of 12, he’s going to need some help, or he’s going to have to win a race for the first time in 2024. Thankfully, Watkins Glen is up next for the Cup Series, and it’s a solid track for the No. 19 wheelman.

Over the course of his illustrious NASCAR career, Truex Jr. has raced at Watkins Glen 17 times. He’s only won there once, back in 2017, but Truex Jr. also hasn’t finished below P7 over his last seven attempts at the road course, so there’s a precedent for him to have a good day in New York.

Alas, time will tell if Martin Truex Jr. can turn it around with only nine races left in his final full-time season behind the wheel. His fans are certainly hoping he’s able to, and Denny Hamlin wouldn’t mind seeing his teammate and friend turn it on over the remainder of the season.

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