"It definitely hasn’t gone according to plan": Ryan Truex reflects on his unconventional NASCAR journey and JGR's trust in him

Ryan Truex recently talked about his career struggles as a NASCAR driver. Because of lack of financial backing for his races, it had been hard for him to secure a position in the NASCAR races. Drivers usually have major companies sponsoring them to bring in money which gives them perks in races. Although Truex's skills have been more than sufficient to compete in NASCAR tournaments, he has struggled with obtaining sponsorship deals.

In an interview with The Athletic, he said:

"When I started racing, I definitely didn’t think it would go the way it has gone and it definitely hasn’t gone according to plan. But I’ve come too far to just lay down and give up. In the meantime, it feels gratifying to be trusted with this responsibility."

The racer has had a history of on-track incidents that have dissuaded sponsors from representing him in future races. As a result, he has suffered from a lack of financial support.

Ryan Truex started his racing journey at the age of 17 when he won the 2009 NASCAR Camping World East Series. He has a brother who is a successful NASCAR driver (Martin Truex Jr). He used to compete in go-kart racing and graduated to stock car racing, making his debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Truex has faced multiple career setbacks. In the 2011 Nationwide series in Bristol, he suffered a crash due to a technical failure in his vehicle. He had another accident at the Talladega Superspeedway race in 2014. Truex had said at the time (via ryantruex.com):

They started wrecking and by the time I saw what was happening, I was already in it. When you're that close to somebody, it's hard to really do much about it. I didn't even see smoke or anything, and whoever was in front of me moved out of the way and there was a truck right there. So, it's tough

Truex competes part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. JGR has helped him develop into the driver he is today, and he is thankful for the lessons he learned from the partnership.

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Ryan Truex hopes to follow his brother’s footsteps in NASCAR with unyielding drive

Ryan Truex at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 - Qualifying - Source: Getty

Racing has always had a cultural significance in Ryan Truex's life and has been his passion from a young age. He still believes that he has a lot to achieve. One of his main goals is to be a full-time driver in NASCAR events. He aspires to be a top-line racer like his brother Martin Truex Jr, who is a NASCAR Series champion driver.

After Martin's race in the Bristol Motor Speedway, Ryan had said in an interview in November 2024 (via Noah Lewis on YouTube):

"Martin has proven what he needs to, he's definitely earned this... he's obviously still got the speed he's still an elite driver."

Ryan Truex has stated multiple times how inspiring his brother has been for him. They both often give advice and feedback to each other on their races. Ryan has said that he has learned patience and focus from his brother. They have mutually shaped each other's success in racing to this day.