Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has teased his plans for the 2025 season. After stepping back from full-time racing, Truex is planning a part-time racing career, focusing primarily on NASCAR’s legendary Daytona 500 event.
As Truex teases his retirement plans, he made it clear that he isn’t backing out from racing altogether. Although he has retired from the grueling schedule of full-time racing, he sees himself on the track, at least part-time.
Martin Truex Jr. only has one Cup race scheduled at the moment for next year. He said he has a contract (assumed to be with 23XI to do the Daytona 500) and he feels it will happen despite the 23XI potentially not having any charters. pic.twitter.com/NzzINEJpFu
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 20, 2024
“So far I only have one [race scheduled], so I don’t know,” Truex told the media, including Bob Pockrass from Fox Sports. “I don’t own a car, so it’s gonna be depending on a lot of people to figure out.”
The racer also hinted at possible involvement in additional races, such as select Xfinity Series events.
Martin Truex, Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 20, 2024 in Bristol, Tennessee. Martin Truex Jr. announces a part-time return to NASCAR in 2025.
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
“As far as I know, it’s all going still. So I think we’re good. You never know these days. Things change in a hurry. There’s a lot going on, like you said, so I have no clue, but I feel confident I have a contract. So that’s a good sign. Right?”
Speculation about Truex’s plans is rife with possibilities, potentially including an association with 23XI Racing—a team owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan. This partnership could see Truex driving numbers that have deep personal and professional significance: the No. 56 car, which represents his early career, or the No. 78 car, with which he won the highly coveted 2017 championship. Returning to these familiar numbers would be incredibly nostalgic for his fans.
A reunion with former crew chief, Cole Pearn, for the Daytona 500 is another exciting possibility. Truex and Pearn were an exceptional duo at Furniture Row Racing, where they first achieved the championship feat. Reuniting for Truex’s Daytona race could be a great setup for the two. The partnership between Truex and Pearn is well-documented, propelling Truex to 24 victories, 12 poles, and the 2017 championship.
Of course, Truex needs all he can get if he is to be in contention of a win. He has yet to win the Daytona 500, despite an impressive second-place finish in 2016, losing to Denny Hamlin by the narrowest margin in the race’s history—just 0.010 seconds. Winning the Daytona 500 remains one of Truex’s unfulfilled ambitions. Next year could see him change this. Who knows.
Truex’s former team, Joe Gibbs Racing, has struggled with engine issues, affecting overall performance in the second half of this season. With Truex’s potential association with 23XI Racing, this could offer him a refreshed competitive platform.
“Hopefully a couple of Xfinity races and a Daytona 500. We’ll see,” he shared.
His confidence in his plans for 2025 is reassuring, yet he remains prepared for the worst: “As far as I know, it’s all going still. So I think we’re good. You never know these days. Things change in a hurry.”