NASCAR
Triple Threat Truex? Would MTJ Chase the Truck Series Championship?
Retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of 2024, Martin Truex Jr. is in very elite company. He is one of only nine drivers to win a championship in two NASCAR National Series. The 44-year-old New Jersey racer has the chance to be in a club of one. Should MTJ choose to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series, he would have a prime shot at being the only triple-threat champion across the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series.
Truex made his NASCAR presence known over two decades ago, at Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Chance 2 Motorsports. After winning back-to-back Xfinity (then Busch) Series titles in 2004-2005, Truex graduated to the Cup Series. Following a roller-coaster first half of his Cup career, MTJ captured the Cup title in 2017 with Furniture Row Racing. He has spent the past six seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing, being second in points three times since 2017.
With a shot at such an exclusive and rare feat at hand, Truex did not fully shoot down this idea.
“A lot of people have been asking me that,” Truex said at Nashville Superspeedway. “Friends especially and people in the sport that I worked with over the years. But as of right now I’m not running anything full-time next year. Definitely going to take the year off from full-time (racing). But never say never, maybe the year after, who knows?”
Truex not blatantly dismissing this proposal seems a bit telling. He is leaving Toyota Racing in good terms, possibly keeping a door open with TRICON Garage in Trucks. The Toyota Truck Series powerhouse team currently fields four full-time rides, and are possible title favorites this year with Corey Heim. His No. 11 Tundra has already seen victory lane four times in 2024. A mid to late-40s Truex in one of their Trucks could be dangerous for the competition in years to come.
Truex does already have limited Truck Series experience under his belt. He has three career Truck starts between Billy Ballew Motorsports and Kyle Busch Motorsports. The latter of these starts was a dominant win in the No. 51 Toyota at Bristol Dirt in 2021.
The idea of Truex racing for and possibly winning a Truck Series title may very well be a pie in the sky dream. The noncommittal answer from the retiring star is typical Truex, but he has shown some consideration for this challenge. If Truex chases this elusive third crown, it would only further cement an already Hall of Fame caliber racing career.
See his full Nashville interview below.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Peter Stratta/TSJSports
