Joe Gibbs gives an update on Martin Truex Jr. contract negations after his Dover triumph
Martin Truex Jr.’s Joe Gibbs Racing contract expires at the end of the 2023 season.
Follow Us
Joe Gibbs and Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. ended his Cup race win drought on Monday as he conquered the Dover Monster mile for the 4th time in his career. It’s his third Monday Cup race win on his home track. He ended his 54-point paying race winless streak. He had already ended the victory drought in the unofficial season opener, LA Clash.
While the win has put a smile on the faces of Joe Gibbs Racing fans and the No:19 crew, the team management has few tasks. Truex Jr. is yet to sign a contract extension to stay with the TRD side. He extended his contract to one year in 2022, and Joe Gibbs expects the 2017 Cup champion to do the same again.
“I think it’s huge, and we are constantly talking to Martin about next year. We want him to stay with us as long as we can convince him to do that. I think the best way of doing that is winning races, or have a chance to win a championship. I think that’s the best sales job we can do,” Joe Gibbs said in his post-race press conference.
The 2017 Cup champion had plans to retire towards the end of 2023 but signed the extension postponing his plans. He is expected to do the same this year as well. It will be a big loss for the JGR side if they fail to sign him for at least one more year. The team lost Kyle Busch to RCR last season. While there are few drivers who are capable of replacing Truex Jr. in the team’s junior sides, it’s still a big seat to fill.
In case you missed it: “What a scripted a** boring race,” NASCAR Twitter reacts as Martin Truex Jr. ends his 54-race win drought before his home fans at Dover
Martin Truex Jr’s JGR legacy
The veteran joined JGR in 2019 after a 5-year fruitful stint at Furniture Row Racing. He won the 2017 championship with them and finished P2 in the championship the next year behind Joey Logano. In 2019 he scored championship P2 again, while his teammate Kyle Busch won the title. He once aging finished P2 in the title chase behind Kyle Larson in 2021.
In his first three years in JGR Camry, he scored 12 wins. But the 4th season, 2022, was one to forget for him as he finished winless. The Dover Cup race was his first since the 2021 September 11th win at Richmond. It was his second race win with JGR in Dover. He will be hoping for redemption in 2023 with the playoff entry and will be a championship contender if the No:19 team executes with perfection in the coming weeks.
Discover:
Stay Updated!
Justin P Joy
(4970 Articles Published)