Crew chief James Small shades Martin Truex Jr. after driver’s retirement

Despite his future Hall of Fame driver retiring this season, James Small doesn’t seem too upset. Is he glad Martin Truex Jr. is gone? Chase Briscoe is coming in to fill the seat in the No. 19 car for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.

There is no denying that Martin Truex Jr. had a downturn in the last few years. He went winless in 2022 and in 2024. He managed to finish 10th overall in the standings this season, his best points finish in the Next Gen era.

“Yeah I’m expecting a lot, he’s a really good kid. You know, I’ve spent a lot of time talking to him and he seems very motivated to do well,” Small said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “He’s got a point to prove and you know, to show people now that he’s going to be in a much more competitive car week on week out, that you know, he can do this and win multiple races a year.

“So, you know, we’re going to push him hard. It’s just going to be really great to actually have somebody for one that lives in North Carolina and two comes to the shop multiple times a week. So, we can actually build the team around him and have him in the process of developing the setup each week and helping us be better as well. So, we’re all really excited to have him on board and I think it’s going to be a big gain for the 19 team.”

To me, it sounds like James Small appreciates the change. Martin Truex Jr. did things his way, good or bad.

Martin Truex Jr. wasn’t around much

The story around Martin Truex Jr. is that he is someone who enjoys his privacy. Being outdoors, hunting and fishing, that is what he likes to do away from racing. But does that have a negative impact on his performance on Sunday?

James Small has received a lot of criticism in the last few years as well. There have been times when the car was way off from what Truex wanted, or Small would make the wrong strategy call, run out of fuel, etc.

Truex is a champion. He reached the highest levels of the sport doing things his own way. It feels like that may have been played out in the last few years. Consistency wasn’t there. Speed was lacking for the most part. Outside of the summer of 2023, the last three seasons have been okay for the most part.

Chase Briscoe is in, Martin Truex Jr. is out. James Small appears to be happy with the change and is ready to get back to work. Will he find success with Briscoe?