Martin Truex Jr. is in his final season as a full-time Cup Series driver as he announced his retirement from NASCAR last week. Now, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is searching for Truex’s replacement for 2025 and beyond.
Whoever follows Truex will have some big shoes to fill. With Truex being a Cup Series champion and a winner of 34 races, the driver will have the pressure to succeed quickly. Here’s a look at NASCAR.com ranking the drivers who should replace Truex at JGR.
1. Noah Gragson
With Stewart-Haas Racing shutting down at the end of the year, Gragson will be looking for a new team, and JGR might be the perfect fit. So far this season, the 25-year-old has earned five top-10 finishes, including a ninth-place finish at the Daytona 500.
Before joining the Cup Series, Gragson earned 13 wins in the Xfinity Series and finished second place in the 2022 Xfinity Cup Series Standings.
2. Chase Briscoe
Briscoe is another driver from Stewart-Haas Racing who will be with a new team in 2025. This year, the 33-year-old has recorded five top-five finishes, including a fifth-place finish at Darlington.
In his career, Briscoe has competed in 121 Cup Series races and earned 26 top-10 finishes. He has also won 11 Xfinity Series races in 86 starts.
3. Josh Berry
JGR could also target Berry who is the third driver from Stewart-Haas Racing. Berry, 33, has competed in 29 Cup Series races and earned six top-10 finishes.
Berry is in his first season in the Cup Series full-time and has registered three top-10 finishes. Last week, Berry finished seventh at the Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway.
4. Erik Jones
Jones has shown a lot of promise at Legacy Motor Club, earning a victory in 2022 and placing eighth at the Daytona 500 this year. He has experience with JGR as he was with the team from 2015 to 2020 on a part-time basis.
Jones has competed in 267 Cup Series races and has earned three victories with 89 top-10 finishes.
5. Ryan Preece
Preece is the fourth member of Stewart-Haas and has his share of experience. This year, the 33-year-old has only recorded one top-10 finish which was at Martinsville.
In his career, Preece has earned 12 top-10 finishes in 159 starts. He has competed in the Daytona 500 five times and finished in the top 10 twice.
6. John Hunter Nemechek
Nemechek is 27 years old and in his first year as a full-time Cup Series driver with Legacy Motor Club. This year, Nemechek finished seventh at the Daytona 500 and sixth in the Cup Series race at the Food City 500 in Bristol.
In 2023, Nemechek competed in the Xfinity Series for JGR. He won seven races and finished fourth in the final standings.
Wild card to replace Truex: Kyle Busch
It would be surprising to see Busch return to JGR since he’s still signed with Richard Childress Racing. There have been rumors it could happen since Busch is not having a strong 2024 season, but many experts believe it won’t happen.
In all honesty, Busch is the most accomplished driver on the list with two Cup Series titles and 63 race victories. But Busch likely wants to ride with RCR and get the team title before his career is over.
Xfinity and Truck Series drivers who could replace Martin Truex Jr.
- Chandler Smith
- Austin Hill
- Corey Heim
Martin Truex Jr. was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. Along with winning a Cup Series title, the 43-year-old claimed the regular season championship in 2017 and 2023. His most notable race wins are the 2016 and 2019 Coca-Cola 600 as well as the 2016 Southern 500.
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