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Like many journeyman drivers, Ryan Truex fought hard to build a name and reputation. Truex, having done so in the past two seasons, is now looking for a full-time Xfinity Series ride. But is there a real shot for him to do so?
Being the younger brother of Martin Truex Jr. didn’t make Ryan Truex’s career difficult. However, it didn’t necessarily help him. While his brother was making his comeback in the late 2010s, Ryan was floating from team to team, trying to make a career in NASCAR.
From 2010 to 2022, Truex raced with teams such as Michael Waltrip Racing, BK Racing, and JR Motorsports. After years of floating around NASCAR’s National Series, Truex had a breakthrough in 2022. Toyota gave him a part-time schedule in the Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing and Joe Gibbs.
While most felt like this ride was due a favor to his brother from Toyota, that narrative shifted last season when Ryan won his first career race with Joe Gibbs Racing. He again won at Dover this year and followed it up with another at Daytona in August.
In his 28 Xfinity Series races in the past four seasons, Truex has three wins, eight top-fives, and 16 top-tens. Many, including Truex, are wondering if he can finally score a full-time ride in the series.
Ryan Truex’s best attributes are his name and reputation. Both of those have generated the narrative that he deserves a full-time Xfinity Series ride in the near future.
Truex seems set on a competitive ride rather than settling for the easiest options. His resume alone makes him a deserving candidate for one of these open rides in the Xfinity Series.
Right now, one of the most notable opportunities for him is at JR Motorsports, which has an open ride after the departures of Brandon Jones and Sam Mayer. Another opportunity is at Joe Gibbs Racing, which is losing Sheldon Creed following this season.
However, a major factor holding Truex back is his age and his lack of sponsorship. While older drivers like Brandon Jones and Justin Allgaier maintain their rides, the sponsorless Truex can’t get a full-time gig.
At JGR these past few seasons, his sponsors have been one-offs, as well as Toyota itself. Situations like this one make for a costly ride for both the team and the driver. The two are having to work constantly for sponsor dollars. While Truex has earned this opportunity, the younger and well-funded free agents are more appealing to teams than unsponsored veterans.
Ryan Truex is facing an uphill climb. However, the driver, once referred to as “Martin’s brother,” has fought this battle before. Like so many times in his career, if he wants to go full-time, Truex will have to fight for it.
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