Martin Truex Jr Laments ‘Biggest Mistake Of Entire Career’ In Darlington

Martin Truex Jr. has opened up on his crash at Darlington Raceway, referring to the incident at the Southern 500 as the “biggest mistake” of his entire career.

During Lap 3 of the race, Truex lost control and hit the wall, leading to a devastating immediate consequence—loss of a critical 58-point buffer in the series’ standings. The emotional impact of the incident left Truex feeling utterly defeated. He explained to the media, as quoted by Motorsport.com:

“It was pretty wild, honestly. I wanted to leave Darlington, dig a hole and crawl into it for a few days.

“It was a terrible feeling. I felt like it was the biggest mistake I’ve made in my entire racing career, which was pretty bad given what the day was and what was on the line … I was thinking that I just ruined our whole season and the next ten weeks would stink. Now, we have a chance for the next ten not to stink and it’s going to be fun.”

Truex’s error at Darlington had significant implications on his standing in the playoff race.

“With this format and the way it is, and not having any bonus points per se, it’s a reminder you have to be on it.

“No mistakes. One mistake and you’re probably done. Yeah, we’ll see.”

Truex’s current situation starkly contrasts with his previous seasons. Last year, he entered the postseason as the regular-season champion but struggled to find form, finishing no higher than 18th during the first six races.

Despite the rough run, bonus points allowed him to advance to the Round of 8. This year, his path to success demands a different approach—outright victories.

Reflecting on Ryan Blaney’s 2023 title win from a 12th-seat start, Truex finds a silver lining.

“Definitely possible. You win one race in the first two rounds, that’s a good chunk of points.

“You know, the confidence and momentum that come with it, it’s totally doable. We’re going to have to win. I don’t think we’ll be able to point our way into the final four from where we’re at. We’re going to have to win some races.”

Truex’s last victory came over a year ago in July 2023 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Despite this drought, his competitive spirit remains undimmed. As a former champion crowned in 2017 and a three-time runner-up, Truex still believes in his potential to turn things around in what is announced to be his final season before retirement.

“I feel [we can win] at any given track, on any given weekend right now.

“I know people probably think I’m crazy saying that because of how things have gone for us lately, but we’ve had the speed to win a lot of races this year and if we can do all the little things right, all the hard things to do right, we’ll have the speed to win.”