With Stewart-Hass Racing shutting down at the end of the season, four drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series are looking for a ride. Now, Joe Gibbs Racing has an impending opening, as former Series Champion Martin Truex Jr. announced on Friday that he's retiring after the 2024 season. Truex's retirement isn't that much of a surprise, as Truex has been looking at retirement for the past couple of years.
"It's been incredible, it's been a hell of a ride," Truex said during a press conference on Friday. "I'm excited about the future and not really sure what that looks like yet, but feel good about my decision. I just want to thank Coach (Joe Gibbs), everybody at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), Toyota. To be able to win a championship is something I've always dreamed of and to be able to get that done was amazing. Just feel really lucky to be surrounded by so many great people over the years."
In a statement, Steve Phelps, NASCAR President, said, "Martin Truex Jr. has been a consistent figure over the last two-plus decades in NASCAR – a consistent winner, champion and fan-favorite. Though he especially excelled on NASCAR's biggest stages, Martin performed his craft with a quiet tenacity, allowing his immense success tell his incredible story. On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, I congratulate Martin on a wonderful career and wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his final full-time season."
Truex started racing full-time in NASCAR in 2004 in the Xfinity Series, winning two championships. He started racing in the Cup Series in 2006, driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., then Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He also drove for Michael Waltrip Racing and Furniture Row Racing before joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018. In the Cup Series, Truex has 34 wins, 146 top fives, and 287 top tens, and it won the Cup Series championship in 2017. He has appeared in the Championship Four round five times, tied for the most all-time. Even though he hasn't yet this season, he is currently fifth in points.
Let's take a look at some possible replacements for Truex.
Chase Briscoe: According to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, Briscoe is the top candidate to replace Truex. He has just one win in the Cup Series and is currently 17th in the points standings, which is better than his Stewart-Hass Racing teammates. Briscoe is available since Stewart-Hass Racing is shutting down. Chase is looking for a ride for next year, and replacing Truex would put him with another top team, and he could start winning more races.
Noah Gragson: Gragson is another SHR driver looking for a ride for next year. Having Gragson replace Truex wouldn't be a bad choice since Gragson has a history with Joe Gibbs Racing, driving for them in the Xfinity Series. Noah hasn't yet competed in the Cup Series, and going to JGR could help him win it.
Chandler Smith: Smith currently drives for JGR in the Xfinity Series. He has two wins this season and is third in the points standings. He’s only 21 years old, so he has a long career ahead of him. The question is whether he’s ready to move up to the Cup Series.
Truex's retirement is a huge loss for NASCAR. He is a good driver and a fan favorite. Truex always raced clean, was/is respected among his peers, and still is a great ambassador for the sport. Truex hasn't ruled out running some Xfinity Series races and is open to possibly rerunning the Daytona 500, a race that he hasn't. Look for Truex to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the near future.
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