NASCAR reverses course on Martin Truex Jr. during Indy inspection, Todd Gilliland fails

The Brickyard 400 weekend is off to a confusing start for Martin Truex Jr. who had issues during technical inspection. So far, the second half of the NASCAR season has not gone well for Truex.

NASCAR passed Truex in tech at first. Then they saw something they didn’t like and ran it through again. He passed after a couple of more times. This might end up looking similar to other penalties we have seen this season.

Martin Truex Jr. has struggled with speed recently. Now they are having trouble getting their car through tech. Todd Gilliland failed twice and will lose pit stall selection and likely his car chief for the weekend.

Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports explained how it all went down.

Truex car initially passed tech but nascar appeared not to like something and they went through couple more times before passing. Still TBD/TBA if similar to other teams in past weeks that were drop to rear. pass-through after first lap, crew member ejected. lose pit selection. https://t.co/uZ4WDvGD6y

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 20, 2024

This is the final season for Martin Truex Jr. That means the clock is running out for the 19 team with this driver. His last finish in the top-5 was back at Kansas. Since then, he has had just two top-10 finishes in nine races.

As for Todd Gilliland, this is the second time in recent weeks he has failed tech twice. This Front Row Motorsports organization is starting to hit its stride, but passing tech is important, too.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hallowed ground. It is a place every racer dreams of competing and winning at. Kissing the bricks is all any of these drivers are going to be thinking about.

For Todd Gilliland, this is only going to make that task more difficult.

Martin Truex Jr. was not happy at Pocono

Last week it was another tough race. Martin Truex Jr. did pull off a much-needed top-10. However, he fought his car most of the day and had plenty to say about it on the radio.

“This thing is so f*cking slow on the straightaway., Truex said on the radio, per Stephen Stumpf of Frontstretch. “Junk. F*cking junk.”

Of course, finishing P8 with a piece of “junk” is a pretty good feat in and of itself. The NASCAR champion has higher expectations than that and everyone knows it. If he isn’t contending for race wins, then he isn’t meeting expectations. That goes for every driver at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Truex has had issues this year with winning speed. Richmond has really been his only opportunity to pull off a win and Denny Hamlin took that one right from under his nose. Cup Series racing is not easy, no one is guaranteed anything.