Martin Truex Jr. has announced he will continue racing in the NASCAR Cup Series on a full-time basis with Joe Gibbs Racing for 2024 season.
Truex announced he had signed a one-year contract extension with JGR to drive the No. 19 Toyota until the 2024 season following Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions at Michigan International Speedway.
The deal puts an end to months of speculation and uncertainty about the future of the 2017 champion as well as the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that he has driven for the past five seasons.
With four races remaining before the start of the Cup Series playoffs, the 43-year-old currently holds the top spot in the regular season standings. He already has three victories under his belt and appears to be among the best drivers on the grid.
Truex underwent the same late-summer decision-making process to decide to compete in 2023 one year ago.
“It was the same deal. I got it out of the way. It didn’t feel right to not come back and keep doing what we are doing,” Truex said.
“Excited to get that out of the way and continue to work on this year and excited for next year as well, too.
“It felt like the right thing to do was to keep going. The more I thought about it, the more I was like – ‘Don’t be stupid, go race another year and see how it goes.’
“You are not going to half-ass this job. I’m ready. I’m excited,” the 43-year old added. “We’ve got a great thing going.
“My team is amazing. They are doing great things. Love working with them, and happy to keep this going.”
Before determining in June that he will compete once more in 2023, Truex thought about life after racing last summer. He didn’t decide on this for 2024 until August.
Joe Gibbs, the owner of his car, has been jokingly pressuring Truex to sign a contract extension all summer. The 82-year-old claimed that after their triumph at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last month, he offered Truex an offer that he could not resist.
“He tells me the same thing every year, that I’m right in the middle of trying to make this decision,” Gibbs said. “I go, come on, what are you talking about, man? You’re making money, you’re having fun, you’re driving race cars. Come on!”
Although this is only a one-year extension, Gibbs is hoping for more.
“We’re really thrilled,” Joe Gibbs said. “Johnny Morris and all those guys at Bass Pro (Shops) are all excited about it. Auto Owners [and] Reser’s too.
“Our sponsors are so fired up. We love Martin. I think he’s on top of his game right now.”
“I told him I think he has five more years,” Gibbs added.
Truex claims that the biggest issue that makes him hesitant about competing in the NASCAR Cup Series is the commitment required, including the 40 weeks and 38 weekends of travel as well as all the mid-week sponsorship and simulator commitments.
Two-time Xfinity Series champion Truex joined Joe Gibbs Racing at the beginning of the 2019 campaign.
The seasoned driver has 34 Cup victories and has only finished lower than second in the standings twice in the previous six seasons. In 2017, he won his only Cup championship with Furniture Row Racing.
