Report: Martin Truex Jr. to enter Daytona 500 with Tricon Garage, help from Joe Gibbs Racing

We have known for a while that Martin Truex Jr. will attempt the 2025 Daytona 500. Now we know the team he will race for. In a surprise turn of events, the semi-retired NASCAR driver will race under the Tricon Garage banner.

In a deal that started out with 23XI Racing has now changed a bit. Thanks to the ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR, a different situation was set up for Martin Truex Jr. for this year’s Daytona 500 in case things went south for 23XI.

With help from Joe Gibbs Racing, Tricon Garage is entering the Cup Series. The Great American Race will be their first-ever Cup race and they are going to have a former champion behind the wheel fresh off his final full-time season.

Earlier today, Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports let the not-so-secret news out. He listed the open cars entered in the Daytona 500 and the ones he expects to see enter. Among them, Truex Jr. for Tricon Garage.

“It is expected that JGR likely would do much of the heavy lifting for the Truex entry. Obviously originally was going to be 23XI but with the lawsuit and not knowing for sure if they’d be charter or open, it made more sense for it to be done through Tricon,” Pockrass wrote on social media.

This makes sense for the situation. 23XI Racing has a lot going on and doesn’t need to worry about an open car right now. Joe Gibbs cannot field a fifth car. And if Martin Truex Jr. raced under the Legacy Motor Club banner, JGR likely wouldn’t be involved.

So, we know what team Truex will race for at Daytona.

Martin Truex Jr. entering Daytona 500 with Tricon Garage

This season the Daytona 500 qualifying session and the Duels will be fantastic. We are going to see a number of open cars enter the race this season. With an actual practice session, albeit just one, teams will have more data going into qualifying.

Among the other entries right now are Mike Wallace with MBM Motorsports, JJ Yeley with NY Racing, BJ McLeod with his eponymous team, and Helio Castroneves with Trackhouse Project 91. There are likely going to be three other open entries as well.

Rick Ware Racing, Beard Motorsports, and Legacy Motor Club are all expected to have an open car each. So, that would put the field at 44 cars for only 40 spots in the race. A lot of competition for Martin Truex Jr.

Bob Pockrass noted that Kaulig Racing won’t have an open car, AmeriVet is a maybe, and there could be one more possible open entry. If so, 46 cars for 40 spots would make qualifying and the duels must-see TV.