Will Martin Truex Jr. return to the Daytona 500? The Cup Series champion weighs in

Despite a major setback at the 2025 Daytona 500, the former NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. will reportedly return to the event next season. During an interview with stock car racing analyst Bob Pockrass, the latter opened up about his take on his potential return in the 2026 season's inaugural race.

Hailing from New Jersey, Turex Jr. retired from full-time racing after wrapping up the 2024 season in tenth place. He drove the #19 Toyota Camry XSE Joe Gibbs Racing before competing in the Daytona 500 with Tricon Garage and driving the #56 Toyota Camry.

However, the 2017 Cup Series champion's run in the 500-mile race didn't go as expected. He got involved in a multi-car crash on lap 71, resulting in a DNF. During the post-race interview, Pockrass questioned Truex Jr. about whether he would return to the Daytona 500 next season. To which Truex Jr. responded:

"Probably, yeah, we'll see. It's a long way from now, so I got a lot a lot of stuff to do between now and trying to figure that out again."

The lap 71 multi-car wreck included Truex Jr., Helio Castroneves, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Riely Herbst, Cody Ware, Jimmie Johnson, and Justin Allgaier. The accident resulted in a DNF for Castroneves and Chastain along with the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

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"Wrong place, wrong time”: Martin Truex Jr. expressed his disappointment on the early exit

During an interview with FOX Sports, Tricon Garage driver Martin Truex Jr. mentioned he was disappointed at his run in the 2025 Daytona 500. The latter was unable to complete the 500-mile race, a title that has eluded him in his two-decade career in the Cup Series. Reflecting upon his DNF, the New Jersey native said:

"It's always disappointing when you don't finish, no matter what the situation, especially in a race like this, when it's probably our only shot this year." (via FOX: NASCAR's X handle)

Regardless of his early exit from the Daytona 500, the NASCAR Cup Series driver enjoyed the race and said:

"It was fun while it lasted, but unfortunately, we were just wrong place wrong time there."

Truex Jr. was among the four open car drivers who qualified for the 67th edition of the 200-lap race. He qualified for the race in P39 during the session held on Wednesday. The other open driver's list included Corey Lajoie, Jimmie Johnson, and Justin Allgaier. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron defended his title in the race.