JGR’s Title Hopes Now Rest on Martinsville Magic

Although all three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers headed into Talladega Superspeedway within 31 points of the lead going into the final two races of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Kyle Larson’s win has eliminated that closeness.

Heading into Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, here’s how the points shake out for the JGR drivers:

• Denny Hamlin: 73 points behind Larson
• Christopher Bell: 74 points behind Larson
• Chase Briscoe: 79 points behind Larson

In order to have a shot at the NASCAR Cup Series championship, all three of those guys need a win at Martinsville. There’s a maximum of 76 points available to a driver in a race, achieved by winning the first stage, winning the second stage, winning the race and setting the fastest lap.

Kyle Larson’s incredible last lap at Talladega Superspeedway, when he charged from 11th place to first in less than a single lap, left JGR shell-shocked. Larson now has three wins in eight races in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs and has an average finish of 6.5.

Chase Briscoe admitted that Larson’s win at Talladega deflated the team. Briscoe said he felt every emotion he could possibly feel watching Larson’s last lap at Talladega, calling it the wildest he’s ever been emotionally.

Briscoe acknowledged that if Larson and the No. 5 team keep racing like they have over the last eight races in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, they deserve the championship. Briscoe pointed to his own success earlier in the playoffs, involving two wins in a row to close in on the lead without earning maximum points in his second win, as an example that there’s still life.

In order to have a shot at the championship, the drivers at Joe Gibbs Racing need a win at Martinsville. It is truly that simple.