"It’s getting old and I don’t do that to others": When Martin Truex Jr. had enough of being a victim and his patience finally wore thin

In 2018, Martin Truex Jr. endured a difficult run, marked by repeated wrecks. After weeks of rough racing, he spoke about the mounting frustration.

The then-Furniture Row Racing driver and defending Cup champion won four races that season. However, the second half of his campaign saw repeated contact from competitors.

In mid‑August at Bristol, Truex battled Kyle Busch late in the race, and Busch clipped the New Jersey native off Turn 4 on Lap 432. That hit sent Truex's car into the inside wall and back onto the track, where J.J. Yeley struck it again, ending Truex's shot at a short‑track win.

In late September at Charlotte's Roval, Truex seemed locked into a playoff when Jimmie Johnson spun while attempting a pass on the final lap. The spin collected Truex in the frontstretch chicane and knocked out both of them.

"It's getting time to get in the playoffs. We're trying to get to Homestead. This is serious business. I've been run into quite a lot here in the last two months. It's getting old and I don't do that to others. If somebody else does something stupid… I might have to retaliate," Martin Truex Jr. said (via racingnews.co).

Truex Jr.'s wins at Fontana, Pocono, Sonoma, and Kentucky had earned him a playoff berth. He also reached the Championship 4 at Homestead alongside Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch.

"I wouldn't just wreck somebody" - When Martin Truex Jr. weighed in on winning races and championships

Martin Truex Jr. was again targeted in the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway in 2018. Joey Logano moved him out of the way with a classic bump‑and‑run in the final turns to lock himself into the Championship 4.

However, this time Truex Jr. said he won't change his racing style to win. In his view, a sketchy win might feel good briefly, but it will feel hollow years later.

"I wouldn't just wreck somebody to win a championship, just like I wouldn't wreck somebody to win a race. It might be cool for a couple of hours. In 20 years, you are going to look back and say, 'Did I really win that race or was that cheap?' Some people might be OK with that," Martin Truex Jr. said (via ESPN).

Truex Jr. also called the move a "cheap shot" and said Logano would not win the championship.

"He won the battle, but he ain’t winning the damn war," Truex Jr. said (via NASCAR.com).

However, Logano won his first Cup title in 2018 while Truex Jr. finished five points behind him in second place.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Parag Jain