Martin Truex Jr. addresses 2025 Daytona 500, adds to speculation which team he will race for
Despite retiring from full-time Cup Series racing at the end of this season, Martin Truex Jr. almost has his 2025 Daytona 500 deal done. Truex plans on racing the NASCAR opener next year, hoping to win his first-ever Daytona race.
Martin Truex Jr. and superspeedway racing haven’t always agreed with one another. However, a win at Daytona, specifically the 500, is all that Truex wants at this point in his career.
Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reports that Truex is close to a deal. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver revealed the deal was “all but done.” Joe Gibbs is working on it, so that likely means a JGR car or 23XI Racing car for Truex.
Martin Truex Jr. is going to exit the sport this season. At least full-time. It’s great to know that we will see him run a few races here and there. Heck, he could jump in that Xfinity Series car for JGR and beat up on the younger drivers, make them prove themselves to a Cup Series champion.
The second half of the season has not been kind to Truex. It is like he has lacked speed and any sense of good luck since after Kansas. That means he has dropped in the points standings, which he led for multiple weeks early in the year.
Of course, Joe Gibbs Racing has had their own problems. TRD was putting out engines with faulty valves and that was causing engine failures for multiple weeks.
Is there time to turn this season around for Truex Jr.?
Martin Truex Jr. does have time
I think if last season taught us anything it is this: a season can flip at a moment’s notice. That means there is plenty of time for Martin Truex Jr. to make a strong run for his second championship before he calls it quits.
Last season, it was the final 11 races of the season that threw him off. He lost all of his speed and fell off a cliff performance-wise. I believe that means he can do the opposite. He has had his rough patch already. Now it’s time to get out of it.
Truex Jr. has Daytona and Darlington left to get a win in the regular season. He is comfortably in the playoffs on points. Unless something very drastic happens like a Truex DNF early in the next two races and the bubble drivers all pick up 45 to 50 points a piece in both races – then he could be in trouble. That’s not likely to happen.
Martin Truex Jr. will be in the playoffs, but will he be able to do anything with his final ten races? We are going to find out soon enough.