Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin’s cars collided during the race at Richmond on Sunday. Truex Jr. was on track to win his first race of the 2024 season, but a disappointing overtime re-shuffle cost him the victory. His teammate, Hamlin, took advantage of the situation and won the race thanks to a quick pit-stop.
Hamlin’s victory was not only due to the pit-stop, but also because of his aggressive defense against Truex Jr. During the race, Hamlin allegedly jump-started and later bumped Truex Jr.’s car on turn two, allowing both Hamlin and another driver to overtake Truex Jr. for second and third place.
Truex Jr. is known for his sportsmanship and is highly respected in the racing community. However, even the best can succumb to frustration, and that’s what happened to the 2017 Cup champion. After the race, Truex Jr. repeatedly bumped Hamlin’s car from behind during Hamlin’s victory lap, showing his frustration.
In a post-race interview, Truex Jr. criticized his teammate and accused him of using unfair tactics and jump-starting during the final restart. Truex Jr.’s frustration is justified as he led for half of the race but ultimately lost due to an incident involving Hamlin’s driver.
During the race, Bubba Wallace, driving for 23XI Racing, spun Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports on the second-to-last lap. Truex Jr. was just moments away from taking the white flag when NASCAR called for a caution, forcing the race into overtime.
Truex Jr. lost the race on pit-road as Hamlin’s crew was able to get him out faster than anyone else. On the other hand, Wallace had a poor restart and ended up outside the top-10 despite having a fast car.
Although it was unusual for Truex Jr. to bump Hamlin, it’s understandable given the circumstances. The veteran driver will likely move on from the incident as he focuses on securing a race win to keep his championship hopes alive and secure a spot in the playoffs. JGR has been consistently fielding fast cars in recent weeks, so Truex Jr. doesn’t need to worry about having competitive vehicles, but rather needs to focus on execution.