Martin Truex Jr. tells Joe Gibbs Racing he’ll return for 2023 season

LEBANON, Tenn. — It took Martin Truex Jr. solely seven phrases to finish the season-long hypothesis about his future in NASCAR.

“I am again within the 19 subsequent yr,” Truex mentioned at Nashville Superspeedway earlier than his assertion launched by Joe Gibbs Racing was much more temporary: “I am coming again.”

Good and succinct for the 2017 NASCAR champion, who has by no means been verbose however was notably brief on particulars as he contemplated his future the previous a number of months. His contract with Joe Gibbs Racing expires on the finish of the yr, and essentially the most Truex would reveal was that the group wanted a call from the driving force this summer season.

“The aggressive aspect of me mentioned I am not carried out and I’ll hold preventing, so right here we’re,” mentioned Truex, who turns 42 on Wednesday.

Subsequent yr will probably be his 18th season within the Cup Sequence, and the New Jersey native has 31 profession wins and a pair of Xfinity Sequence titles. He heads into Sunday’s race at Nashville winless on the season however ranked sixth within the standings.

Now that Truex is signed, JGR can flip its full consideration to two-time champion Kyle Busch. He is also in a contract yr, however JGR wants a sponsor for the No. 18 as a result of longtime associate Mars, Inc. is leaving NASCAR after this season.

With Truex returning, JGR retains a perpetual title contender. He superior to NASCAR’s title-deciding championship race in 4 of the previous 5 seasons, profitable his solely title in 2017 when he drove for now-defunct Furnishings Row Racing. He has completed second within the championship 3 times since, together with final yr when he misplaced to Kyle Larson.

Truex has received 16 races since becoming a member of JGR.

“We’re delighted that our 2017 Cup champion, associate and good friend is again in his Camry TRD for a minimum of one other yr,” mentioned David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Improvement.

It was unclear what Truex may determine partially due to his struggles within the new Subsequent Gen inventory automobile, but additionally JGR’s struggles. The 4 JGR drivers — Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Truex — have a mixed three wins. Bell and Truex have but to succeed in Victory Lane.

“I believe as all of us proceed to be taught and develop, the great groups would be the good groups in every single place,” Busch mentioned. “However you understand, it’s form of patchy proper now with simply getting an understanding constructed round this automobile.”

The battle in efficiency had bothered Truex, who has seven top-10 finishes by means of 16 races.

“I do not like not working good,” Truex mentioned. “I am right here to win. I really feel like everyone is working actually, actually arduous proper now. It is an up-and-down sport. I have been quite a bit worse off than this earlier than. We’re sitting in a great spot in factors … however I really feel like we’re getting nearer and we’ll hold doing all we will.”