Martin Truex, Jr. [No. 19] and Corey LaJoie [No. 32], will both be required to forfeit their starting positions in each of the driver’s respective races tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway, due to significant inspection problems on Wednesday Night.
Truex, Jr.’s No. 19, was originally slated to start on the pole for Wednesday’s NASCAR All-Star Race, but will have to drop to the rear of the field on the pace laps due to failing technical inspection twice. Truex’s problems, will reap great rewards for third-place starter Ryan Blaney, who will get to claim the No. 19’s vacant front-row starting position.
LaJoie’s No. 32 will have to give up a 21st-place starting position in the NASCAR All-Star Open, although LaJoie was already scheduled to start last of the 21 starters in NASCAR’s version of the “LCQ”, which allows three teams to race their way into the NASCAR All-Star Race and a chance to win $1,000,000.
Tonight’s NASCAR All-Star Race will be the first ever NASCAR National Series event to use the “Choose Cone”, which will allow both LaJoie and Truex to take risks in choosing the non-dominant lane in order to gain positions throughout the event, allowing them to potentially find themselves in victory lane, or in LaJoie’s situation, a chance at winning $1,000,000, a sum of money that would do wonders for a smaller team like GoFas Racing.