NASCAR

Truex replacement named with 'announcement' due

Rhys Thomas Thursday 20 June 2024 04:00

Martin Truex Jr at the NASCAR Goodyear 400

NASCAR spotter Freddie Kraft has named who he expects to replace Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing and claims that a formal announcement will be made soon.

Truex confirmed that he would be retiring from full-time action at the end of the season, meaning he will vacate the JGR no 19 car.

The 43-year-old won the 2017 Cup Series whilst at Furniture Row Racing, but will no longer be racing everywhere having cited the demanding schedule as a season for his decision to retire.

Though Truex will continue with JGR in an as-yet unspecified ambassadorial role, the team are on the hunt for a full-time driving replacement, and Kraft believes that their chase is over.

Join us live from @iowaspeedway for an announcement by @MartinTruex_Jr.
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— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 14, 2024

Who will replace Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing?

Though he is still hunting a win in what is now known to be his final season, and will be a difficult man to replace.

Now, 23XI Racing spotter Kraft has fueled speculation that Stewart–Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe will replace Truex.

"I think everybody has seen the rumors that Chase Briscoe is going to the 19," Kraft said on the Door Bumper Clear podcast.

"I think you can expect to see an announcement on that within the next week or so," he added.

Chase Briscoe is in line to replace Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing

"You didn't see that coming two weeks ago," fellow spotter and marketer Brett Griffin said, though Truex's retirement is not a great surprise to many.

"I don't think they [Joe Gibbs Racing] wanted to start a rebuild," Kraft added. "You've got a championship-caliber team there."

Briscoe has just one Cup Series win, and that came in 2022 at the Ruoff Mortgage 500.

The 29-year-old lies in 17th in the overall standings. Truex, meanwhile, will be looking to hold on to his top-five spot in the final months of his career.

Joe Gibbs Racing Cup Series Miami GP Martin Truex Jr.