“I’m expecting a lot” - Martin Truex Jr.’s replacement Chase Briscoe entering JGR with "a point to prove," as per crew chief

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. retired from the sport after his final race at Phoneix Raceway on November 10, 2024, and previously-Stewart Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe will be replacing him in the 2025 season. The JGR Crew Chief James Small recently spoke about what he thinks Briscoe's state of mind will be like.

Stewart Haas Racing announced its departure from the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series in March 2024. Following that, its drivers looked to secure spots with other teams on the grid. Chase Briscoe landed a spot in Joe Gibbs Racing as Truex Jr.'s replacement.

Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch.90), JGR crew chief Smalls highlighted his expectations from the young driver. He mentioned Briscoe is a "good kid" and has a lot to offer. He said,

"I'm expecting a lot. He's a really good kid. I spent a lot of time with him, talking to him, and he seems very motivated to do well, and he's got a point to prove and, you know, to show people now that he's going to be in a much more competitive car week on week out, that, you know, he can do this and win multiple races a year" [00:00].

Martin Truex Jr.'s team's crew chief also said that the team was going to "push him hard" and added he had a good feeling about Briscoe joining the team.

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Martin Truex Jr.'s leaves remarkable legacy in the NASCAR Cup Series

Martin Truex Jr. has left a remarkable legacy behind, with 19 seasons in the Cup Series. He bagged 34 wins and won the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship along with 291 top-ten finishes and 25 poles.

He debuted in the Cup Series in 2006 and drove under the Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) banner, clinching his first Cup Series in the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover Motor Speedway in 2007.

Truex also won the 2023 Cup Series Regular Championship, along with two Busch Series Championship titles in 2004 and 2005. He was named as one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.

Martin Jr. left DEI in 2010 and drove for Michael Waltrip Racing for four seasons and won a single race. His career experienced an uplift in 2014 when he drove for Furniture Row Racing and made it to the Championship Four race for the first time. In 2017, he won the championship title, after claiming eight victories.

Furniture Row Racing ceased operations in 2018, and Martin Truex Jr. finished as the runner-up in the championship battle. He then spent five seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing as Denny Hamlin's teammate. His last win came in 2023 at the Crayon 301 in New Hampshire.