Martin Truex Jr. to drive at Atlanta with broken wrist

Martin Truex Jr. is 14th in points and holds the top wild card slot for the Chase with two races left in the regular season. His quest to make the playoffs for a second consecutive year took a hit Tuesday, however, when an MRI revealed Truex had fractured and sprained his right wrist in a crash during Saturday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Truex is cleared by NASCAR to compete in this weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but he’s been fitted with a special cast that he will have to wear indefinitely. The cast is necessary because it will allow him to grip the steering wheel, according to a statement from Michael Waltrip Racing, but the team has yet to determine whether Truex will need a relief driver at Atlanta.

The injury occurred with 52 laps to go in the Irwin Tools Night Race. The video below shows Truex in obvious pain after the incident.

• Harvick, Hamlin have pit road confrontation

• NASCAR standings after Bristol

• Irwin Tools Night Race results

• Mark Martin nervous, excited to drive No. 14

• Longform: The good times and hard life of Dick Trickle