NASCAR: 3 possible options for a Martin Truex Jr. return in 2025

As a longtime follower and admirer of Martin Truex Jr.’s career, I can’t help but feel a mix of awe and nostalgia when contemplating his potential plans for 2025. With his impressive record at Dover Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it’s evident that these tracks hold a special place in his heart.

Martin Truex Jr., in recent NASCAR history, is one of the most heartwarming success stories. Since 2006, he’s been a full-time driver in the Cup Series. Over this period, he transitioned from having only three victories up until 2015, to the brink of career extinction in 2013, to becoming a seasoned winner with 34 Cup Series races under his belt and even claiming the title as a Cup Series champion.

Despite being counted out numerous times, he managed to achieve two of the most successful and dominating seasons in the 21st century. In the year 2017, he notched up eight victories, 19 top-five placements, and an astounding average finish of 9.42, which ultimately led him to claim the championship title. Subsequently, in 2019, he added another seven wins, 15 top-five finishes, and a 9.75 average finish to his tally.

Martin Truex Jr., unlike many NASCAR drivers from different eras, didn’t follow the typical pattern of starting young and achieving most of his victories in his twenties and thirties. Instead, he reached his peak performance significantly later in his career.

In the year 2024, during his retirement phase, he remains a formidable competitor every weekend, making him a strong contender for the Cup Series championship. Remarkably, he hasn’t won a single race up until now, yet he is still one of the favorites. If he were to win, it would undoubtedly be a compelling tale.

Speculations about the retirement of this 44-year-old individual had been circulating for quite some time, but it wasn’t until mid-June that his decision to retire at the end of the 2024 racing season as a full-time driver was officially announced.

Although the driver taking over for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota has already been announced, there are strong hints that Truex might participate in certain races in 2025. Based on recent developments, it seems this scenario is indeed a possibility. Here are three potential scenarios:

No. 1 – Daytona 500

Ever since Truex declared his withdrawal from full-time racing, it appeared almost inevitable that he would come back for the Daytona 500.

After Truex’s announcement at Iowa Speedway, 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin was swift in stating that he can prepare Truex Jr.’s Daytona 500 car right away and all it takes is for him to give the go-ahead.

Without a doubt, the Daytona 500 is the most significant and honored race of each NASCAR Cup Series year, but so far, Truex hasn’t managed to claim victory in it. In 2016, he came painfully close, unfortunately losing to Hamlin by only 0.011 seconds in a photo finish. He also nearly won in 2017, leading the race with just two laps remaining before being overtaken on the back straightaway.

Truex has been winning numerous races, particularly in recent times, but the Daytona 500 win is definitely one he’s keenly eyeing. Any elite driver lacking a Daytona 500 victory perceives it as a significant gap in their collection, and if he doesn’t attempt it again, he’ll always feel that void throughout his career.

After 2024, as there are no long-term goals to pursue, Truex will have the opportunity to dedicate all his energy to this specific race. Given that he might be driving for a team led by an owner who has triumphed in this event three times, it could provide an ideal finale for his remarkable career – if he manages to claim victory in this prestigious race one last time.

No. 2 – Homecoming

A well-known jest about NASCAR from recent times revolves around Martin Truex Jr.’s numerous “home tracks.” This is due to the fact that he hails from Trenton, New Jersey, a place that seems to have produced quite a few racetracks for him.

In some instances, Truex might compete at one, two, or perhaps even three of these racetracks in 2025, primarily due to their proximity to his home, strong fan and family backing, and his previous victories on those tracks.

Kicking things off is Dover Motor Speedway, Delaware’s nearby racetrack that feels like home turf. This place has seen me shine brightest; I’ve taken the checkered flag four times here, matching my best record at Sonoma Raceway. To add to that, I’ve notched up an impressive eleven top-five finishes and a whopping twenty top-ten results, setting a personal best here.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but marvel at his impressive statistics. He has mastered over a thousand laps on the track and consistently finishes an average of 11.2 in races. If he doesn’t claim victory at the Daytona 500, a race known for its unpredictability, it would offer him one of the best opportunities to secure that elusive final triumph.

Subsequently, Pocono Raceway, located near his hometown Jersey Shore by car travel, is one of his stronger circuits. He has achieved two victories, seven top-five placements, and 16 top-ten finishes at the nicknamed Tricky Triangle. Here, he consistently ranks with an average finish of 14.0.

It’s not surprising if he shows up again at Pocono, considering he had one of the quickest cars there earlier in 2024 and was honored with a moving tribute during that weekend.

Lastly, there’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a venue he affectionately refers to as his home track. Considering that his father, Martin Truex Sr., clinched victory here in the NASCAR Grand National Series way back in 1992, it’s not hard to understand why he feels such a strong connection to this place.

Just like the other two tracks mentioned, Truex Jr. has achieved considerable success at New Hampshire. Although he’s only won once, he has earned nine top-five finishes and 16 top-10 finishes there. Additionally, he has led the most laps on this track second only to one other, demonstrating his consistency and proficiency.

Furthermore, Truex seemed poised to possibly secure another victory at that location during this season, but an issue on the pit road and a subsequent spin forced him into a ninth-place ending instead.

After missing out on what could have been his first victory of 2024, as well as his potential final home win, Truex would undoubtedly have felt quite disappointed. If he competes at any of these three tracks in 2025, he has a strong possibility to rectify the situation and conclude on an optimistic note, returning to where his career began.

No. 3 – Xfinity Series

Martin Truex Jr. has spent a considerable amount of time competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, leaving little room for activities such as racing elsewhere or indulging in his longstanding pastime of angling.

In the moments following his retirement announcement in Iowa, the 2017 Cup champion confessed to this fact.

Just felt like the right time for me. Honestly, I’ve thought about it a lot the past few seasons and just waited for that feeling in my mind to be positive…Something just felt different this year for me. I felt like it was time to slow down and do something else.

Although there’s a high chance that he might continue participating in multiple races, a point that hasn’t received much attention is whether he would stick with the Cup Series for the long haul. Given his desire for occasional racing, it seems plausible that he may wish to reduce his commitment even more and enjoy some casual competition in the Xfinity Series as well, reminiscent of his earlier days.

Maybe. I don’t know. I’d be open to it. (Joe Gibbs) has got Xfinity cars. Coach, I’m bored, I want to go race. Let’s go!

Joe Gibbs Racing has been fielding various drivers for the No. 20 Toyota in the Xfinity Series, with Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, and Ryan Truex’s younger brother among them. If an opportunity arises and it fits the schedule, it’s possible that Martin could take his turn at the wheel for a few races as well.

The two-time Busch Series champion has openly expressed his desire to assist his younger brother in his Xfinity Series races. This could involve sharing a ride, or perhaps taking on a mentor role to help guide him.

Among his most cherished memories recently is triumphing in the Cup Series race held at Dover Motor Speedway in 2023, a victory that came shortly after Ryan clinched the Xfinity Series race over the weekend, thereby accomplishing a family clean sweep.

It’s clear that Ryan’s NASCAR journey has been more challenging than Martin’s, and given Martin’s emotional response following Ryan’s first career win at Dover in 2023, it’s unlikely he wouldn’t want to contribute to helping Ryan reach that same level again.

No matter what decisions Truex takes in 2025 and possibly future years, it’s evident that he has the unwavering backing of both Joe Gibbs and Denny Hamlin for any choice he makes.

As a gamer, I couldn’t ask for anything more than the recognition I’ve received from my peers in the NASCAR community. It’s a dream come true.

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2024-08-06 16:03