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Martin Truex Jr.

Truex Jr. at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024

Born

Martin Lee Truex Jr.
June 29, 1980 (age 45)
Mayetta, New Jersey, U.S.

Height

5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)

Weight

180 lb (82 kg)

Achievements

2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion
2017, 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion
2004, 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Champion
2016, 2019 Coca-Cola 600 winner
2016 Southern 500 winner
2007, 2010 NASCAR All-Star Race Open winner
2023 Busch Light Clash Winner

Awards

2004, 2005 Busch Series Most Popular Driver
2018 ESPY Best Driver
Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)

NASCAR Cup Series career

694 races run over 22 years

Car no., team

No. 56 (Tricon Garage)

2024 position

10th

Best finish

1st (2017)

First race

2004 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 (Atlanta)

Last race

2025 Daytona 500 (Daytona)

First win

2007 Autism Speaks 400 (Dover)

Last win

2023 Crayon 301 (Loudon)

Wins	Top tens	Poles
34	291	25

NASCAR Xfinity Series career

104 races run over 11 years

2021 position

76th

Best finish

1st (2004, 2005)

First race

2001 MBNA.com 200 (Dover)

Last race

2021 EchoPark 250 (Atlanta)

First win

2004 Sharpie Professional 250 (Bristol)

Last win

2006 Aaron's 312 (Talladega)

Wins	Top tens	Poles
13	62	10

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career

3 races run over 3 years

2021 position

95th

Best finish

77th (2005)

First race

2005 Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee)

Last race

2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt (Bristol Dirt)

First win

2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt (Bristol Dirt)

Wins	Top tens	Poles
1	1	0

Statistics current as of February 16, 2025.

Martin Lee Truex Jr. (born June 29, 1980) is an American stock car racing driver. He currently races part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 56 Toyota Camry XSE for Tricon Garage. Martin Truex Jr. is a champion in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2017. He also won two championships in the Xfinity Series in 2004 and 2005.

Racing runs in Martin Truex Jr.'s family. His younger brother, Ryan, also races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Their father, Martin Sr., raced full-time in the East Series in the 1990s. His uncle Barney and cousins Curtis Jr. and Tyler also have racing backgrounds.

Early Racing Days

Martin Truex Jr. started his racing journey in go-karts at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey. When he turned 18 in 1998, he moved up to the Modified division at Wall Stadium.

In 2000, Truex Jr. moved to North Carolina. He began racing in the Busch North Series, following his father's path. He competed for three full seasons and made some starts in 2003. During this time, he earned 13 pole positions and 5 wins in his family's No. 56 SeaWatch Chevy.

NASCAR Career

Busch Series Success (2001–2005)

Truex Jr. made his first start in the Busch Series in 2001 at Dover International Speedway. He started 19th but finished 38th after an early crash. In 2002, he raced once for Phoenix Racing and three times for his father's team. His best finish was 17th at Dover.

In 2003, Dale Earnhardt Jr. hired Truex Jr. to drive his No. 81 Chance 2 Motorsports Chevy. He had a strong start with Chance 2, leading laps at Richmond. He also achieved a sixth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway and two second-place finishes.

Truex Jr. raced full-time for Chance 2 in 2004. He earned his first career victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. He then added three more wins, including one at Talladega Superspeedway and another at Nazareth Speedway. He took the lead in the championship and eventually won the Busch Series title with a race to spare.

While chasing that championship, Truex Jr. also got a chance to drive in the Nextel Cup Series. He filled in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2004, marking his first Cup race.

He continued to dominate the Busch Series in 2005, winning his second championship in a row. He won the first Busch Series race held outside the United States in Mexico. He also defended his wins at Talladega and Dover, and secured his first win at Daytona International Speedway in July 2005.

Joining Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2006–2008)

Truex Jr.'s 2008 Sprint Cup car

In 2006, Truex Jr. moved up to race full-time in the Nextel Cup Series for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI). He finished in the Top 5 twice and ended the season 19th in points. In 2007, he won the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Open, which earned him a spot in the All-Star Challenge.

A few weeks later, he achieved his first Sprint Cup Series win at the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover. He led more than half the race, showing his strength. This win helped him climb in the points standings. He finished 11th in points at the end of the 2007 season. In 2008, he didn't win any races but had 11 Top 10 finishes, ending 15th in points.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (2009)

In 2009, DEI merged with Chip Ganassi Racing to form Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. Truex Jr. continued with the new team. He started the year strong by winning the pole position for the Daytona 500. He also earned two more pole positions later that season at Atlanta and Phoenix.

Truex Jr. raced for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing for only one season before moving to a new team.

Michael Waltrip Racing (2010–2013)

First Years with Michael Waltrip (2010–2011)

Truex Jr.'s No. 56 at Pocono Raceway in 2011

After the 2009 season, Truex Jr. joined Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the No. 56 Toyota Camry. This number, 56, was special to his family. In his first race with the team, he finished 6th in the Daytona 500.

He faced some challenges with engine issues and accidents early in 2010. However, he improved his performance with several Top 12 finishes. He also earned his fifth career pole position at Dover. Truex Jr. finished the 2010 season 22nd in points with one Top 5 and seven Top 10 finishes.

In 2011, at Martinsville, Truex Jr. was involved in a hard crash due to a stuck throttle. He hit the wall head-on, but thankfully, he was uninjured. He later won another pole at Dover. Despite running well in many races, he often struggled to finish them. He ended the 2011 season 18th in points, with three Top 5s and 12 Top 10s.

Consistent Performance (2012)

Truex Jr. started 2012 strongly, earning a bonus and finishing 7th in the Daytona 500. He found his rhythm at Texas, winning the pole and leading many laps. The next week at Kansas, he led most of the race but finished second. At Atlanta, he led late but had to pit for fuel, finishing fourth. Truex Jr. consistently performed well, securing a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He finished 11th in points, with seven Top 5s and 19 Top 10s, though he didn't win a race that year.

A Challenging Year (2013)

Truex Jr.'s 2013 Sprint Cup car at Texas Motor Speedway

The 2013 season was a mix of highs and lows for Truex Jr. He had some Top 5 finishes early on, including a strong second-place run at Texas. However, he also had accidents and engine problems. The highlight of his season was at Sonoma, where he ended a long 218-race winless streak, winning by a large margin. This was only the second time a No. 56 car won in NASCAR's top series.

Later in the season, at Bristol, Truex Jr. was in a crash that broke his right wrist. Despite the injury, he continued to race, even with a cast. He finished third at Atlanta while still recovering. At the final regular-season race in Richmond, Truex Jr. was initially in a playoff spot. However, due to a penalty given to his team for a rule violation, he was removed from the playoffs. He finished the season with four Top 10 finishes in the last 10 races.

Furniture Row Racing (2014–2018)

A New Start (2014)

Truex Jr. racing at Sonoma Raceway in 2014

In October 2013, it was announced that Truex Jr. would move to Furniture Row Racing for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. He would drive the No. 78 Chevrolet. His entire pit crew from Michael Waltrip Racing also joined him.

His 2014 season began with a strong qualifying run for the Daytona 500, starting on the outside pole. However, his engine failed early in the race. Truex Jr. had a tough spring but improved later in the season with four Top 10 finishes. He finished 24th in the final points standings.

First Championship Four Appearance (2015)

Truex Jr. at the 2015 Daytona 500

Before the 2015 season, Cole Pearn became Truex Jr.'s new crew chief. The season started well, with Truex Jr. leading many laps in the Sprint Unlimited race and finishing second. He continued this strong performance, finishing in the Top 10 in 14 of the first 15 races.

At Kansas, he led the most laps but a late caution cost him the win. At the Coca-Cola 600, he again led the most laps but had to make a late fuel stop, finishing 5th. At Dover, he led the most laps once more but a poor restart dropped him to 7th.

Truex Jr. racing at Michigan International Speedway in 2015

At Pocono, Truex Jr. finally broke his 69-race winless streak, winning the race by a comfortable margin. This was his first win with Furniture Row Racing. He became the first driver since Richard Petty in 1969 to start a Cup season with 14 Top 10 finishes in the first 15 races. Despite some bad luck in later races, Truex Jr. made it into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He advanced to the final four at Homestead-Miami and finished 4th in the final points standings, a career best at that time.

Multiple Wins (2016)

Truex Jr.'s No. 78 Bass Pro Shops Toyota in 2016

For the 2016 season, Furniture Row Racing switched to Toyota cars. Truex Jr. had a very close finish in the Daytona 500, losing by just 0.010 seconds, the closest finish in the race's history.

He dominated at Texas, leading many laps, but lost due to pit strategy. At Kansas, he won his first pole of the year and led a race-high 172 laps. On Memorial Day weekend, Truex Jr. dominated the Coca-Cola 600, leading a record 392 of 400 laps. This win secured his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He led for 588 miles, the most miles led by any driver in a NASCAR race ever.

On September 4, Truex Jr. won his second race of the year at the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. This marked his first season with multiple wins. He continued his winning streak by taking his third win of the season at Chicagoland, securing his spot in the next round of the Chase. The following week at Dover, he earned his fourth win of the season. However, he was eliminated in the Round of 12 after engine trouble at Talladega.

Championship Year (2017)

Truex Jr. during qualifying for the 2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Truex Jr. started the 2017 season strong, winning the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas. This was his first win at Las Vegas and the first time a driver won all three stages of the new stage format.

In May at Kansas, Truex Jr. won again after a close battle. At Charlotte, he led the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600 for the third straight time. In July, he captured his third win of the season at Kentucky Speedway, again winning all three stages. He took his fourth win of the season in August at Watkins Glen International, his first road course victory. This was an emotional win for his team.

At Darlington, Truex Jr. won the first two stages, which officially clinched him the regular-season championship. This also gave him extra playoff points. Despite a tire issue late in the race, he had already secured the regular-season title, his first top-level championship.

He continued his strong performance in the playoffs, winning the first race at Chicagoland Speedway. He then won his sixth race of the season at Charlotte, securing a spot in the Round of 8. Two weeks later, he won again at Kansas, extending his winning streak on 1.5-mile tracks to four, a NASCAR record. Truex Jr. made it to the final four in the playoffs. He ultimately won the final race at Miami, becoming the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion. He won 19 of 108 stages that year, making it a very dominant season.

Final Year at Furniture Row (2018)

Truex Jr. standing next to his 2018 race cars

Truex Jr. started the 2018 season with consistent Top 5 finishes, including wins at Fontana, Pocono, Sonoma, and Kentucky. He had 15 Top 5 finishes during the regular season. He made it to the Championship 4 for the second year in a row. He finished 2nd at Homestead and in the final points standings.

On September 4, 2018, it was announced that Furniture Row Racing would close its No. 78 team after the season. On November 7, Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 19 car starting in 2019.

Joe Gibbs Racing (2019–2024)

A Strong Start (2019)

Truex Jr.'s race-winning car during the 2019 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Truex Jr. began his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing with a challenging finish at the Daytona 500. However, he quickly bounced back with five straight Top 10 finishes. He then scored four wins at Richmond, Dover, Charlotte, and Sonoma.

He started the 2019 playoffs by winning the first two races at Las Vegas and Richmond. This marked his first time winning back-to-back races and sweeping a season at Richmond. He advanced to the Round of 12. During the Round of 8, Truex Jr. won at Martinsville to secure his spot in the Championship 4. At the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Truex Jr. led much of the race. However, a pit stop error caused him to lose track position. He recovered well but finished 2nd in the race and in the final championship standings for the second year in a row. Truex Jr. led the series with seven victories that season.

After six seasons as Truex Jr.'s crew chief, Cole Pearn announced he was leaving racing in December.

A Single Win (2020)

Truex Jr. competing in the 2020 Doubleheader Dover Weekend

At Martinsville in June, Truex Jr. won his only race of the season. He controlled the final 100 laps despite early damage to his car. At Kentucky, he led most of the race but was passed on the final lap. Truex Jr. missed the Championship 4 for the first time since 2016 and finished 7th in points.

Multiple Wins and a Championship Run (2021)

Truex Jr. racing at Darlington Raceway in 2021

Truex Jr. continued with crew chief James Small in 2021. He won his first race of the season at Phoenix in March, which was his first victory at that track.

In March, Truex Jr. also returned to the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series for special races. He drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series at Atlanta. He also competed in the Truck Series' Bristol dirt race for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He won the Truck Series race, becoming the 36th driver to win in all three top NASCAR Series.

Two weeks later, Truex Jr. won at Martinsville for the third time in his career. On May 9, he dominated and won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington, earning his 30th career victory.

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Truex Jr. was running second when rain caused a crash, but he recovered to finish 12th. He continued to perform well, earning a 3rd-place finish at Watkins Glen International. He also scored a Top 10 at Michigan International Speedway.

Truex Jr. was involved in a large crash at Daytona, but he still made the Playoffs. He won a race at Richmond Raceway, had a Top 5 at Darlington Raceway, and a Top 10 at Bristol Motor Speedway in the first round. He advanced to the Championship 4 after consistent finishes in the next rounds.

In the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Truex Jr. led for a short time, hoping to win his second title. However, a late caution and a strong competitor meant he finished 2nd in points. This was the third time he finished 2nd in the NASCAR Cup Series points.

Missing the Playoffs (2022)

Truex Jr.’s No. 19 car at Sonoma Raceway in 2022

Truex Jr. started the 2022 season with a 13th-place finish at the 2022 Daytona 500. He didn't win any races during the regular season but remained consistent with three Top 5s and 12 Top 10 finishes. In June, Truex Jr. considered his future in NASCAR but decided to stay with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2023. Despite leading the season in stage wins (7) and being fourth in the regular season standings, Truex Jr. missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. He finished 17th in the final standings.

Return to Form (2023)

Truex Jr.’s race-winning car during the 2023 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Truex Jr. began the 2023 season by winning the 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. He then broke a 54-race winless streak at Dover, which secured his spot in the playoffs. Truex Jr. also won races at Sonoma and New Hampshire. He clinched the regular season championship at the end of the Daytona night race. In the playoffs, he faced a setback at Kansas with a tire puncture. However, he recovered at Bristol to stay above the cutoff line for advancing.

Final Full-Time Season (2024)

Truex Jr.'s No. 19 car in the garage area at Daytona

On August 5, 2023, Truex Jr. announced he would continue with Joe Gibbs Racing through the 2024 season. On June 14, 2024, he shared that he would retire from full-time racing at the end of the season. Even without a win in the regular season, he was consistent enough to make the playoffs. Truex Jr. was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs but finished his final full-time season 10th in the final point standings.

Return to the No. 56 Car (2025)

On January 16, 2025, it was announced that Tricon Garage would try to race in the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time at the 2025 Daytona 500. Truex Jr. would drive their No. 56 Toyota Camry, with Bass Pro Shops as the main sponsor and Cole Pearn as his crew chief. This marked Truex Jr.'s return to the No. 56 car, which he last drove in 2013. He qualified for the race by being the fastest open car. Truex Jr. finished 38th after being involved in a crash.

Personal Life

Truex Jr. was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and grew up in Mayetta. He graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1998. His father, Martin Truex Sr., was also a successful racer. His younger brother, Ryan, is a former champion in the K&N Pro Series East.

Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex were together for many years. In 2007, they started the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation to help children with cancer. They ended their relationship in January 2023 but remained close friends until Pollex's passing in September 2023.

Truex Jr. is a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles (football) and the Philadelphia Flyers (hockey). In 2019, his company began helping with human organ transport using small aircraft.