Martin Truex Jr.’s NASCAR journey is not fairly over, however his probability of changing into a multi-time Cup champion did finish along with his elimination within the opening spherical of the 2024 playoffs. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver not less than had one championship to his title, in 2017, in addition to three championship runner-ups. It is reflective of his time in NASCAR in a means, which was a somewhat uncommon one spanning over 20 years and noticed an unlikely rise within the second half of his profession. Revered all through the paddock and even to rivals for being a clear driver, what else does he depart as his legacy? When the checkered flag waves on MTJ’s full-time profession, what is going to he be remembered for?
Watch: ‘You by no means prefer to let anyone down’: Truex speaks on playoff heartbreak
A promising begin
Driving for the Earnhardt-owned Probability 2 Motorsports staff, he instantly demonstrated his potential within the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence. The New Jersey native received back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005 together with 12 wins in two seasons. Among the many names he defeated en route to those championships have been Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle.
His success earned him a promotion to Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s Cup staff in 2006, driving the No. 1 Bass Professional Outlets Chevrolet. This was a tough and tumultuous time for DEI because the staff struggled and relationships have been frayed. Michael Waltrip left the staff after 2006 and Dale Earnhardt Jr. adopted swimsuit a yr later. Regardless of the turmoil, Truex managed to earn his first victory in 2007 at Dover, which primarily features as his house observe (although no fewer than 4 tracks have been known as his house observe prior to now, however let’s not begin that debate). His Dover win was DEI’s twenty fourth and closing win earlier than merged, changing into Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.
Race winner Martin Truex Jr. does a burnout
Photograph by: Getty Pictures
Years of battle
Truex didn’t discover a lot success following his victory and the merger did not appear to assist. He was constantly bested by teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, departing the staff on the finish of the 2009 season. He joined Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the No. 56 NAPA Toyota. Sadly, the change of race groups did not initially change the outcomes on observe. The staff made agonizingly gradual enchancment. However that may repay in 2013 when MTJ lastly returned to Victory Lane, ending a six-year winless streak. That win additionally put him in rivalry to make the playoffs for the second consecutive yr and issues have been wanting up. Effectively, till all of it fell aside on account of one of many greatest scandals in NASCAR historical past…
Race winner Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota celebrates
Photograph by: Getty Pictures
SpinGate
Destiny generally is a unusual factor. The occasions of September seventh, 2013 practically ended Truex’s NASCAR profession however with out it, we probably would not be calling him a future Corridor of Famer proper now. Clint Bowyer spun late within the common season finale at Richmond, inflicting a warning that allowed Truex — his teammate — to salvage his playoff hopes. It will have been seen as a fortunate break, if it wasn’t coordinated.
Bowyer was instructed in code to spin the automotive out after being knowledgeable in regards to the factors scenario. His crew chief instructed him to “itch” his arm and moments later, Bowyer spun all on his personal. One other MWR driver — Brian Vickers — was then instructed to abruptly pull down pit highway. All this allowed Truex to take the ultimate wildcard spot, just for or not it’s stripped away after NASCAR uncovered the plot. It did not seem that Truex was in on it, however it was all to learn him.
Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr.
Photograph by: Getty Pictures
The fallout and penalties have been immense. Trying particularly at Truex, he misplaced his playoff spot, sponsor NAPA severed all ties with the disgraced staff, and Truex was let go on the finish of the yr. MWR was compelled to downsize after dropping NAPA and Truex was compelled to discover a new house. However this catastrophe ended up being the crucial second in MTJ’s profession, one which put him on a significantly better path.
West to a brand new starting
In 2014, Truex grew to become a part of a single-car operation referred to as Furnishings Row Racing. It was an anomaly within the Cup storage, operating one automotive out of a store primarily based in Denver, Colorado. Most NASCAR groups are in and across the space of Charlotte, North Carolina. The staff, owned by Barney Visser, had been round since 2005. They’d only one win, which got here as a shock to everybody when Regan Smith captured the checkered flag within the 2011 Southern 500 at Darlington. Nobody anticipated a lot from Truex, who had simply two wins in his first 300 begins. He ended his first season with FRR twenty fourth within the standings and it appeared that he would proceed being a strong mid-fielder for the remainder of his profession. Then, he joined forces with crew chief Cole Pearn.
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry AOI and Cole Pearn
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
From mid-pack to guide
There are some driver/crew chief combos that really feel like magic, like Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson. Pearn and Truex have been such a pairing. In 2015, they took Furnishings Row Racing all the way in which to the Championship 4 with Truex incomes his third profession win at Pocono. That actually drew some consideration contained in the storage. Furnishings Row moved from Chevrolet to Toyota and have become intently aligned to a powerhouse staff — Joe Gibbs Racing. For the primary time in his profession, Truex had constantly quick automobiles underneath him. He received three races within the first decade of his profession, solely to greater than double that complete in 2016 alone — and that is regardless of falling a pair inches quick on the Daytona 500.
Race winner: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: NASCAR Media
Elite driver
It is uncommon to see a driver dominate your complete season within the trendy playoff format, however that is precisely what Truex did in 2017. At 37 years previous, he lastly arrived, displaying everybody precisely what he was able to: Eight wins, 19 top-fives, 26 top-tens, together with one of the dominant showings ever in NASCAR’s longest race. Truex led 392 of 400 laps on the Coke 600, or 588 of 600 miles in a record-shattering night time. Regardless of the knockout-style factors format, he marched via the playoffs with ease and received the championship in a surprising efficiency.
2017 champion Martin Truex Jr., Furnishings Row Racing Toyota
Photograph by: NASCAR Media
He practically did it once more in 2018, ending the yr because the championship runner-up with one other 4 wins. Furnishings Row Racing then closed its doorways, however Truex transitioned to JGR with out skipping a beat. He was the championship runner-up once more in 2019, including one other seven wins! If not for a weird pit cease in the course of the finale the place the tires acquired switched round, he might have received that title too. Cole Pearn left the game, however Truex continued his profitable methods with James Small atop the field. In 2021, he was in charge of the title race earlier than a late warning turned him right into a three-time championship runner-up. After making the Championship 4 in 4 of final 5 seasons up via 2021, Truex had lastly established himself as one of many prime drivers within the sport.
Velocity and misfortune
The Subsequent Gen period has not been variety to Truex. He has proven loads of velocity, however misfortune follows Truex in a means that feels virtually focused. A winless season in 2022 compelled him to overlook the playoffs, regardless of sitting somewhat excessive within the common season standings. He got here again with a vengeance in 2023, profitable the common season title, which was sadly adopted by a fully calamitous playoff run.
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Outlets Toyota Camry
Photograph by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
2024 was revealed to be his closing full-time season as a Cup driver, however misfortune saved its merciless grip on him. His closing alternative to turn into a multi-time champion ended within the opening spherical and he stays winless this yr. Two wrecks, not of his doing, and going 0.09mph over the velocity restrict down pit highway within the cut-off race have been the ultimate nails to seal his final playoff coffin. However the season is not over but. Reaching Victory Lane is all that issues now.
Grateful for what was, however questioning what might have been
Truex’s profession could be evenly cut up into two elements, with the disaster that was SpinGate because the epicenter. Though he was in a position to accomplish a lot in that second half, one has to surprise how way more we might have seen if he would have had entry to quicker automobiles earlier in his profession. And let’s not neglect that there have been three completely different pivotal moments the place he was one place shy of probably changing into a four-time champion, equal with Jeff Gordon! Then there’s profitable 30 Cup races over the course of simply seven years. It actually looks like one is taking a look at two fully completely different drivers when wanting again at his profession — earlier than 2014 and every little thing that got here after.
Martin Truex Jr. is a reminder of the hidden skills mired deep inside the pack. His legacy is one in every of endurance — a driver that clawed his approach to the highest of the game, trudging via the mud for years earlier than reaching it. However he is additionally demonstrated that point on the summit is not assured to be constant, and even final. Which in that case, for Truex, this is not solely the top. There’s nonetheless time for him to get one final victory as a NASCAR Cup Sequence driver.
Martin Truex Jr, Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Outlets Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
