Three Toyota playoff cars to start at rear at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. — Three Joe Gibbs Racing cars will start at the rear of the field in today's Cup playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway after suffering similar mechanical issues.

The cars of Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs each had plug wire issues that needed to be replaced.

All three cars will start at the rear for unapproved adjustments for today's race (3 p.m. ET on USA Network).

James Small, crew chief for Truex, told NBC Sports that they had similar issues to what was found in Hamlin's car after he qualified last in the 38-car field Saturday. Small said the issues in Truex's car were not as severe as the plug wire issue with Hamlin's car but they were changed as a precaution.

Small said Christopher Bell's No. 20 car did not have those issues. Bell will start 26th.

Truex was to have started 22nd. Gibbs was to have started 20th.