RADIO
Martin Truex Jr. Uncompetitive In Duel Race But Still Makes Daytona 500
Martin Truex Jr. had already advanced to the Daytona 500 on the basis of his qualifying time, thereby locking his Tricon Garage entry into the race, but he seldom factored into the first Duel race, where he started 12th, finished 15th, and rarely was anywhere near contention on a night his fellow Toyota drivers like Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, and Denny Hamlin seemed to have some of the fastest cars. It's unclear whether he was actually that uncompetitive, or whether he was simply saving his equipment to avoid having to switch to a backup car. It seems likely given Toyota's speed that the combination of Truex's retirement, his historical struggles on this track type, and driving for a brand new team will render him uncompetitive for the 500, but he just as easily could have been conserving his equipment.
Source: Racing Reference
Source: Racing Reference
