Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs will drop to the rear after their Joe Gibbs Racing teams changed plug wires on their engines ahead of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET, USA, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
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The news, first reported by NBC Sports, follows a similar change made to their teammate Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota after Saturday’s qualifying time trials that resulted in a last-place effort for Hamlin.
According to NBC Sports, James Small, crew chief of Truex’s No. 19 Toyota, said the change was made as a precautionary measure after Toyota Racing Development crewmen observed similar issues in the engines of both the Nos. 19 and 54 Toyotas.
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Because of the alteration, Truex and Gibbs will both be sent to the rear of the field to begin Sunday’s Quaker State 400. Gibbs, the sophomore driver and playoff debutant, was Toyota’s highest qualifier Saturday in 20th place after single-lap time trials.