Joe Gibbs explains Martin Truex Jr.’s future with his NASCAR team after retirement

Martin Truex Jr. may be moving on from full-time competition in the NASCAR Cup Series following the 2024 season, but that doesn’t mean he won’t remain involved with Joe Gibbs Racing in some capacity.

Speaking at the unveiling of Chase Briscoe as the driver to replace Truex in the No. 19 Toyota for 2025, Joe Gibbs said that Truex will continue as an ambassador for JGR. That is, if Truex can find time in his “busy schedule” post-retirement.

“Martin will continue to be an ambassador for us for the years going forward,” Gibbs said. “We’re still talking about things that he might do for us and so that’s gonna be exciting if we can get him off a boat or out of a deer blind some place, we’ll have a chance. I’m still amazed, I still told him, ‘Do you really think you can fish every day?’ So, this will be interesting, I think we’ll be able to get him back for a few things.”

Martin Truex Jr. explains decision to retire from full-time competition

Truex, 43, contemplated walking away in the past few years, but has decided to leave the sport after the current season following a highly decorated career. Truex has won 34 races across 19 seasons in NASCAR’s premier series, including two Coca-Cola 600s and a Southern 500.

He reached the mountain top in 2017 driving the No. 78 Toyota for Furniture Row Racing, winning his first and only Cup Series championship. Truex tallied eight checkered flags that season and capped it off with a victory in the season finale at Homestead-Miami.

Truex remains one of the sport’s best and though winless through 18 races this season, is currently in the playoffs on points. He has tallied eight top-10 and four top-five finishes.

“Just felt like the right time for me,” Truex said at his retirement press conference. “Honestly, I’ve thought about it a lot the past few seasons and just waited for that feeling in my mind to be positive. Like, this is, okay I’m good, I want to do something else. Yeah, something just felt different this year for me I felt like it was time to slow down and do something else. It’s been a great ride, though, obviously.”