3 teams Martin Truex Jr. could race for in the 2025 Daytona 500

NASCAR Cup Series driver, Martin Truex Jr. completed his last full-time season with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) this year. The 2017 Cup Series champion has had 34 wins, 147 top-five finishes, and 25 pole positions over 693 races.

Earlier this year, Truex Jr. announced that he would step away from full-time racing after the 2024 season but will race at the 2025 Daytona 500. His crew chief from their 2017 championship run, Cole Pearn, will return to work with him.

Here are three teams that could have the American behind the wheel for the Daytona 500 next season.

#1 Legacy Motor Club

Martin Truex Jr may partner with Legacy Motor Club in a Toyota car. The team already runs two full-time cars for Erik Jones (No. 43) and John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42) and a part-time entry for Jimmie Johnson (No. 84).

While adding a fourth car could be tricky, Legacy’s relationship with Toyota makes them a likely candidate to give him a chance.

#2 Trackhouse Racing

Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 - Source: Getty

Toyota could also consider letting Martin Truex Jr. race for another manufacturer in the Daytona 500.

Trackhouse Racing with three full-time drivers, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, and Shane van Gisbergen, could also be open to one-off entries for the Daytona 500. Trackhouse fields Chevrolet but could be willing to partner with Truex for the big race.

#3 A new Toyota team

Toyota might also set up a new team just for Martin Truex Jr. at Daytona. This could be a one-off partnership or a special entry made for the race on February 16.

"JGR is doing it somehow" - Martin Truex Jr. on his part-time stint in 2025

Martin Truex Jr. was earlier expected to race for 23XI Racing but the team is not expected to add a fourth entry in 2025. JGR, which already has four full-time cars for the next season, will arrange Truex Jr's team. Moreover, there are more than eight open spots for the 2025 Daytona 500, which is double the usual number.

"I’m not sure what they're [23XI Racing] doing, honestly. Kind of up in the air. I just told Gibbs, JGR is doing it somehow, so, we’ll see," Truex Jr. said (via jayski.com).

The 44-year-old will reunite with former crew chief, Cole Pearn in 2025. They worked together from 2015 to 2019 and won 24 races, while also securing the 2017 Cup Series championship.

Pearn retired in 2019 but now works as a consultant for Joe Gibbs Racing. His last big job was as chief engineer for Conor Daly at the 2020 Indianapolis 500. Pearn also helped Truex Jr. as a spotter in 2021 and as an engineer in 2022.