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2024 is going to be the final time Martin Truex Jr. would race full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. Previously, in 2018, he was compelled to leave due to the shutdown of his team, Furniture Row Racing, despite having clinched the NASCAR Cup championship in 2017. The closure of Furniture Row Racing was attributed to financial difficulties that prevented continued operation.
Martin Truex Jr. has competed in NASCAR stock cars for two decades, spending five of those years driving the #78 car for Furniture Row Racing. It was with this team that he achieved his NASCAR Cup championship in 2017, capturing eight wins throughout that victorious season.
However, in September 2018, Furniture Row Racing announced its dissolution at the end of the season, citing inadequate funding. At that time, rumors circulated suggesting that Martin Truex Jr., who had been effectively integrated into the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) organization through a technical alliance since 2016 [with Furniture Row Racing], was being positioned to race directly under the JGR banner.
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FRR, which maintained a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), faced challenges as the Joe Gibbs-owned team viewed the existing deal as undervalued.
It was rumored that they sought to increase the annual fee from the $3 million to $4 million that the Furniture Row Racing team was paying to a substantial $10 million to $12 million, effectively proposing a threefold increase.
The steep rise in costs contributed to Furniture Row Racing’s decision to shut down operations. However, these claims about the deal's increased value were never officially confirmed by JGR executives.
Martin Truex Jr. is set to make a return to Daytona next year
Despite having announced his retirement following the 2024 season, the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver harbors the unfulfilled dream of winning the Daytona 500. On Wednesday, Martin Truex Jr. confirmed that he will team up with his former crew chief, Cole Pearn, for next year's first race of the season.
Regarding the car setup, Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, mentioned on Wednesday:
“23XI and [Joe Gibbs Racing] are kind of looking at the options and figuring out what’s the best avenue for it. Certainly, having Martin in the 500 is going to be exciting.” [via NASCAR`]
Martin Truex Jr. has indicated that his car number for the race will be either #78 or #56. The #78 car was the car number he clinched the 2017 Cup championship with.
On the other hand, throughout his career, he has frequently raced under #56 in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, which he personally identifies as “my number.”
Although Martin Truex Jr. has 34 series victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, the New Jersey native driver has yet to win the Daytona 500.
His closest attempt was in 2016 when he finished second to Denny Hamlin by just .010 seconds — the narrowest margin in the history of the Daytona 500.
