Martin Truex Jr

Martin Lee Truex Jr. Bio

Martin Lee Truex Jr. (born June 29, 1980) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 56 Toyota Camry XSE for Tricon Garage, and is widely remembered as the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Over the course of a long and decorated career, he also captured two consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series titles in 2004 and 2005, cementing his place among the most consistent drivers of his generation.

Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing roughly 180 pounds, Truex is a native of southern New Jersey whose family ties run deep in stock car racing. He built his reputation through hard work, sharp race craft, and a quiet intensity that has made him a fan favorite for more than two decades. In 2023, NASCAR named him one of the sport’s 75 Greatest Drivers, honoring his many contributions on and off the track.

Early Life and Background

Martin Lee Truex Jr. was born on June 29, 1980, in Mayetta, New Jersey, a small community inside Stafford Township. He grew up in a close-knit family with deep roots in motorsports, watching his father, Martin Truex Sr., race at short tracks across the Northeast. His mother, Linda Truex, raised the family in the same New Jersey region that shaped his early love for speed and competition.

Truex began his racing career driving go-karts at the New Egypt Speedway in Ocean County, New Jersey, back when the surface was still paved. He later graduated to the Modified division at Wall Stadium in 1998, the year he turned eighteen and became eligible to race a car under New Jersey regulations. He graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1998, balancing schoolwork with a growing schedule at local short tracks.

Racing ran throughout the Truex household. His younger brother, Ryan, would go on to become a champion of the K&N Pro Series East, and his uncle Barney competed part-time in the Whelen Modified Tour during the 1980s. Cousins Curtis Truex Jr. and Tyler Truex are also late model racing drivers, ensuring that the family name remained tied to short-track competition for many years.

Path to NASCAR

Following in his father’s footsteps, Truex entered the Busch North Series and ran three full seasons from 2000 to 2002, adding limited starts in 2003. He posted thirteen poles and five wins behind the wheel of his family-owned No. 56 SeaWatch Chevy, demonstrating the raw speed that would soon catch the eye of bigger teams. In 2000, he moved south and rented a home from Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Mooresville, North Carolina, eventually buying his own place there as he chased a full-time ride.

His big break came in 2003, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. hired him to drive the No. 81 Chance 2 Motorsports Chevy in the Busch Series. Truex made an immediate impression with strong qualifying runs and steady finishes, including a sixth-place run at Bristol Motor Speedway and two consecutive second-place finishes to close the year. Those results paved the way for a full-time Busch Series ride in 2004 and the launch of a championship career.

Martin Lee Truex Jr. Career

Early Career (2001–2005)

Truex made his first NASCAR Busch Series start in 2001 at Dover International Speedway in his father’s No. 56 Chevy, finishing 38th after an early wreck. He continued to gain experience through 2002, running select events for Phoenix Racing and his father’s team, posting a best finish of 17th at Dover. The 2003 season split between Chance 2 Motorsports and his father’s operation sharpened his race craft, setting up a championship push the following year.

In 2004, Truex raced full-time for Chance 2 Motorsports and won his first career Busch Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He reeled off four wins in a short span, including victories at Talladega Superspeedway and the final NASCAR event at Nazareth Speedway, and clinched the Busch Series championship with a race to spare. He defended his title in dominant fashion in 2005, adding a historic win in Mexico City, the first Busch Series points race held outside the United States.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2004–2005)

Across his Xfinity Series career, Truex collected 13 wins, 62 top-ten finishes, and 10 poles. His first victory came at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2004, and his last came at the 2006 Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. The consecutive championships in 2004 and 2005 also earned him Busch Series Most Popular Driver honors in both seasons, reflecting the bond he was building with fans.

That success opened the door to NASCAR’s top level. In 2004, he made his Cup Series debut as a relief driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and later started his first race for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the No. 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Xfinity championships had proven that Truex could perform on every kind of track, and a full-time Cup opportunity was only a matter of time.

NASCAR Cup Series with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2006–2008)

Truex moved to the No. 1 DEI Chevy full-time in the Nextel Cup Series in 2006, posting two top-five finishes and a 19th-place run in the final standings. In 2007, he captured the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Open, earning a transfer into the All-Star Race, and then scored his first Cup Series victory at the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover, leading 216 of 400 laps. The win pushed him into the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time, and he ended the year 11th in points.

He did not return to victory lane in 2008, but his consistency kept him in contention, with eleven top-ten finishes and a 15th-place result in the final standings. His time at DEI had laid a strong foundation, but the organization’s future was about to change dramatically.

Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing (2009–2013)

At the start of 2009, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. merged into Chip Ganassi Racing to form Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Truex opened the year by winning the pole for the Daytona 500 and added two more poles at Atlanta and Phoenix. After one season with the merged team, he was replaced by Jamie McMurray and moved to Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the No. 56 Toyota Camry beginning in 2010.

The No. 56 carried special meaning, as it was the same number his late father had used in the Grand National Division. Although he finished 22nd in points in 2010, he earned his first All-Star Race transfer by winning the Open at Charlotte and finished second in the main event. The 2013 season was a turning point, as he broke a 218-race winless streak with a dominant performance at Sonoma Raceway, leading the final 152 laps. He also made the Chase, only to be removed when NASCAR penalized Michael Waltrip Racing for an attempt to manipulate the results at Richmond.

Furniture Row Racing Era (2014–2018)

In October 2013, Furniture Row Racing announced Truex as the driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet for 2014, replacing Kurt Busch. After a slow start, the team brought in rookie crew chief Cole Pearn before the 2015 season, and the partnership immediately took off. Truex posted fourteen top-ten finishes in the first fifteen races, won at Pocono Raceway, and finished a then career-best fourth in the final standings.

The team switched to Toyota for 2016, and Truex captured the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway by leading a record 392 of 400 laps. He added the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway later that season, his first multi-win Cup year. In 2017, he won the regular-season championship, captured the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, dominated races at Kentucky Speedway and Watkins Glen International, and clinched the Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. His eight-win 2018 campaign ended with a second-place finish in the final standings, and he was named the 2018 ESPY Best Driver.

Joe Gibbs Racing Era (2019–2024)

With Furniture Row Racing closing at the end of 2018, Truex and Cole Pearn signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 19 Toyota beginning in 2019. He opened the JGR era with seven wins, including victories at Richmond Raceway, Dover International Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway, and finished second in the championship for the second straight year. After Cole Pearn stepped away from the sport, James Small became his crew chief.

Truex added wins at Martinsville in 2020, Phoenix Raceway in 2021, and Darlington Raceway and Martinsville in 2021, reaching 30 career Cup victories. He opened 2023 by winning the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum and added wins at Dover Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway, clinching another regular-season title. In June 2024, he announced his retirement from full-time racing and finished his final full-time season tenth in points. In January 2025, he returned to the No. 56 Toyota for Tricon Garage, locking into the Daytona 500 as the fastest open car before finishing 38th after a crash.

Driving Style and Strengths

Truex is best known for his mastery of intermediate and 1.5-mile tracks, where his smooth, patient style and excellent tire management give him an edge over longer runs. He pairs that strength with sharp short-track race craft, a steady road-course approach, and strong pit work. His long partnership with crew chief Cole Pearn and current alliance with James Small has produced a calm, analytical team culture that values execution over flash.

Notable Races and Milestones

Truex’s signature wins include the 2016 and 2019 Coca-Cola 600, the 2016 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, and the 2023 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. He is also remembered for finishing second in the 2019 and 2018 Daytona 500, the 2018 and 2019 and 2021 Cup championships, and his emotional Sonoma Raceway victory in 2013 that ended a 218-race winless streak. The 2023 Southern 500 and his 2017 championship-clinching run at Homestead-Miami Speedway stand among the defining moments of his career.

Martin Lee Truex Jr. Career Wins

Across NASCAR’s three national series, Martin Truex Jr. has built a lengthy and varied win list. His Cup Series totals include 34 victories, 291 top-ten finishes, and 25 poles, while his Xfinity Series career featured 13 wins, 62 top-ten finishes, and 10 poles. He also captured one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, the 2021 Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway, which made him one of the few drivers to win in all three top national series.

Cup Series Highlights

Truex’s 34 NASCAR Cup Series wins include crown jewel events such as the 2016 and 2019 Coca-Cola 600 and the 2016 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. His first Cup win came at the 2007 Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway, and his most recent came at the 2023 Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He earned the 2017 Cup Series championship, the 2023 regular-season title, and a 2018 ESPY Award for Best Driver.

Other Wins and Performances

Truex’s two Xfinity Series championships in 2004 and 2005 were earned with 13 career Busch/Xfinity wins. He also recorded five wins in the ARCA Menards Series East during his development years, and added his first Craftsman Truck Series victory in 2021. He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 and was twice the Busch Series Most Popular Driver in 2004 and 2005.

Martin Lee Truex Jr. Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Truex comes from one of the most racing-oriented families in the Northeast. His late father, Martin Truex Sr., raced full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East through the 1990s and was a noted winner in the Busch North Series. His uncle Barney Vissers competed part-time in the Whelen Modified Tour during the 1980s, and cousins Curtis Truex Jr. and Tyler Truex are active late model racing drivers.

His younger brother, Ryan Truex, is a two-time consecutive champion of the ARCA Menards Series East and races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing. The Truex family’s deep ties to short tracks from New Jersey to the Carolinas have helped shape Martin’s steady, blue-collar approach to the sport.

Personal Life

Truex was in a long-term relationship with Sherry Pollex from 2005 to 2023. Together they co-founded the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation in 2007 to support children with pediatric cancer, a cause they championed after Pollex’s own 2014 Stage III ovarian cancer diagnosis. The couple ended their romantic relationship in January 2023 but remained close friends until Pollex’s passing in September 2023.

Outside of racing, Truex is an avid Philadelphia sports fan, following both the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League and the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In 2019, his holding company entered the human organ transport business with a small aircraft fleet, expanding his interests beyond the race track.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season marks Martin Lee Truex Jr.’s return to part-time competition with Tricon Garage in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 56 Toyota Camry XSE with Bass Pro Shops as the primary sponsor and Cole Pearn serving as crew chief. The team targeted the 2025 Daytona 500 as its Cup Series debut, with Truex locking into the race by posting the fastest open-car qualifying speed. He ultimately finished 38th at Daytona after being collected in a crash, but the appearance signaled his continued ties to Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing allies.

With a Hall of Fame-caliber résumé, including 34 Cup wins, the 2017 championship, two Xfinity titles, and selection to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list, Truex enters 2025 primarily as a special-event driver. He has said he enjoys working with Cole Pearn again and is open to running selected races with Tricon Garage throughout the year. The 2025 Daytona 500 marked his first Cup start since his final full-time race at Phoenix Raceway in 2024, capping a remarkable Cup career that began in 2004.