NASCAR Insider: Martin Truex Jr. decision timeline, Stewart-Haas possibility for Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing is currently awaiting a decision from Martin Truex Jr. on whether or not he will retire following the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Of course, this is nothing new for JGR or Truex himself, who has contemplated retirement each of the previous two seasons. In 2022, that decision came in July. Last year, Truex made that call in August. With silly season underway and no clear replacement if he calls it a career, JGR will likely want Truex to make up his mind soon, Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports explained Monday.

“Joe Gibbs Racing is awaiting word from Martin Truex Jr. on whether he will return for 2025. The 2017 Cup champion made his stay-or-retire decision (to stay) in June two years ago and then in August last year. With no clear replacement for him if he retires, JGR likely would want a decision soon,” Pockrass wrote.

Truex, 43, is in his 19th full-time season in the Cup Series and sixth with JGR. He currently sits fourth in the points standings, still looking for his first win of the season. The 2017 Cup Series champion is no doubt a first ballot Hall of Famer, meaning replacing him in the No. 19 will be a tall task.

Who could replace Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19?

Pockrass pointed out that Chase Briscoe could be a possibility with Stewart-Haas Racing announcing last week that it will shut down operations after the 2024 campaign.

“If Truex does decide to retire, Briscoe, the top SHR driver at 15th in the Cup standings, could be a possible candidate,” Pockrass wrote. “If JGR wants to stay in the current Toyota stable, it could try to make a run at Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones, who has previously driven for JGR.”

Briscoe is the current top driver at SHR, sitting 15th in the points standings.

“I have absolutely zero idea,” Briscoe said on “NASCAR Race Hub” last week. “I haven’t been able to talk to anybody until literally just [Tuesday]. … It’s definitely been different being in this position.” 

Pockrass also mentioned Erik Jones, who previously piloted the No. 20 Toyota for JGR from 2018-20. Noah Gragson is another name who makes sense, given his sponsorship backing from Bass Pro Shops.

“Noah Gragson, who has some sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, also can’t be counted out for that JGR ride, where a significant amount of the Bass Pro money goes each year to sponsor Truex,” Pockrass wrote.