Martin Truex Jr.’s #19 Toyota failed pre-race inspection twice for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, which will force him to start from the rear.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. originally qualified for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, the Consumers Energy 400, in 17th place in his #19 Toyota.
As a result of the fact that both Richard Childress Racing drivers, Austin Dillon and rookie Daniel Hemric, were found to have unapproved alternators after qualifying in seventh and 11th place in their #3 Chevrolet and #8 Chevrolet, respectively, they were each docked 10 points and their qualifying speeds were disallowed and they are set to start from the back of the grid.
Truex was set to start this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.0-mile (3.219-kilometer) Michigan International Speedway oval in Brooklyn, Michigan in 15th place following the penalties issued to these drivers.
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But now, he, too, is set to start from the back of the grid.
Truex’s #19 Toyota failed pre-race inspection twice, causing this penalty. He is also set to lose a crew member, his race engineer, for this race.
He also started the May race at Dover International Speedway from the rear after failing pre-race inspection. He won that race despite the fact that it was difficult to pass, and he won it by roughly half a lap over Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who was also sent to the rear for the same reason, in second place.
In 27 career starts at Michigan International Speedway, Truex has never won, but he did finish in third place in the June race at the track, marking his seventh top five finish and 10th top 10 finish there.
Aside of Dillon, Hemric and Truex, three other drivers are set to start from the rear for other reasons. The #32 Go Fas Racing Ford of Corey LaJoie and the #36 Front Row Motorsports Ford of Matt Tifft both had transmission changes, and the #77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet that was qualified by Reed Sorenson is set to be driven by Garrett Smithley instead.
NBC Sports Network is set to broadcast today’s NASCAR Cup Series race live from Michigan International Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET, so be sure not to miss the Consumers Energy 400.