Martin Truex Jr. is expected to start the Daytona 500 in 2025. But could the former champion compete with a NASCAR Cup Series team other than 23XI Racing?
Truex Jr. and the Daytona 500: another attempt
After retiring from full-time competition at the end of the 2024 season, Martin Truex Jr. has confirmed his intention to continue racing on an occasional basis in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Daytona 500, the inaugural race of the 2025 season at Daytona International Speedway, is already on its schedule. A victory in this emblematic event is still missing from his record after 20 unsuccessful attempts.
For this event, Truex will find a well-known face: Cole Pearn will be his team leader. Together, they won the championship in 2017 with Furniture Row Racing, a team associated with Joe Gibbs Racing which ceased operations following the 2018 season. In five years together, Truex and Pearn achieved four Championship qualifiers 4 and totaled 24 victories.
A collaboration with 23XI Racing? Unlikely
Initial rumors suggested that Truex could enter the 2025 Daytona 500 with a fourth car from 23XI Racing, a team affiliated with Joe Gibbs Racing and partnered with Toyota. However, this hypothesis seems to be ruled out. Although 23XI Racing plans to add a third full-time car for Riley Herbst in 2025, joining Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, the Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-led outfit did not indicate plans for a fourth car during the 67th edition of the “Great American Race”.
What alternatives for Truex?
-Joe Gibbs Racing, which accompanied Truex for the last six seasons of his full-time career, is managing his contract through 2025. However, the team cannot enter a fifth car for the Daytona 500, with NASCAR limiting each team to four entries. .
One solution would be to collaborate with another Toyota team. However, the options are limited. Legacy Motor Club, which fields two full-time cars for John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones, plans to add a third car for co-owner Jimmie Johnson in the Daytona 500. Could the team field a fourth car? without a charter? This remains uncertain.
The context of charters: an opening?
The charter landscape could be upended in 2025 due to ongoing antitrust litigation. Following the decision by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports not to sign NASCAR’s new charter agreement, the sport could operate with just 30 charters instead of the usual 36. That would open up 10 spots for the Daytona 500, instead of the traditional four.
Even if Stewart-Haas Racing’s two contested charters are awarded to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, eight spots would remain available, potentially giving Martin Truex Jr. an additional chance to start the race.
Martin Truex Jr.’s participation in the 2025 Daytona 500 still raises questions. But one thing is certain: fans are eagerly waiting to see the former champion attempt to conquer the only major trophy missing from his impressive record.
