CONFIRMED: Martin Truex Jr. Makes Retirement Decision
What’s Happening? Martin Truex Jr. announced at Iowa Speedway on Friday that he will retire from full-time competition following the 2024…
Martin Truex Jr. is expected to announce his retirement during the Iowa race weekend. This move affects far more than just Truex Jr. and Joe Gibbs Racing. It could set off a major chain reaction to set the tone for all of NASCAR Silly Season.
What’s Happening? Martin Truex Jr. announced at Iowa Speedway on Friday that he will retire from full-time competition following the 2024…
Multiple reports have indicated that Chase Briscoe is the top candidate to replace Truex Jr. This would make sense as Briscoe is currently the top SHR driver in points. However, this would also affect the other open seats, particularly in the Ford camp.
With two seats at Front Row Motorsports open and one seat at The Wood Brothers probably open for 2024, this could be good for SHR’s other drivers. Having Briscoe go to another manufacturer means that any other Ford SHR drivers, Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, and Josh Berry, could slot in. It also opens up more opportunities for SHR Xfinity Series drivers Cole Custer and Riley Herbst if they don’t have 2024 plans set already.
What’s Happening The day that many expected but few yearned for has come. Stewart-Haas Racing has announced through a joint-statement from…
However, another driver to watch after this move is Noah Gragson, mainly due to his sponsorship. Bass Pro Shops has supported Gragson since his time in the Xfinity Series, and Truex Jr.’s retirement means Bass Pro Shops can more heavily support Gragson.
This could lead Gragson to Joe Gibbs Racing, but that doesn’t seem as likely as his teammate heading there. In May, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that another team, Richard Childress Racing, is interested. A current part-time spotter for RCR, Brett Griffin, later confirmed on “Door, Bumper, Clear” that this is indeed a rumor in the industry. However, RCR would need to purchase one of SHR’s four charters, which isn’t guaranteed.
What’s Happening? In the wake of Stewart-Haas Racing closing down, rumors immediately began to surface about Noah Gragson’s, future. One…
A move on a charter will probably not come until the charter agreement is signed, so it could be a while before this plays out. This could put the rest of “Silly Season,” aside from JGR replacing Truex Jr., on hold for a while.
What’s Happening? NASCAR Silly Season got a major jolt in late May when Stewart-Haas Racing announced that they would be shutting…
However, the Bass Pro Shops sponsorship change could affect more than just the drivers. JGR may have to search for more sponsorship, which may come from an unlikely source.
Tad Geshickter is the co-owner of JTG-Daugherty Racing, who recently signed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to a multi-year contract extension. Geshickter is very close to Kroger, which sponsors the team, and Gehsickter has also grown very close with Joe Gibbs Racing. Adam Stern reported back in April that Geshickter, alongside Kroger, could leave JTG-Daugherty, and JGR could be the next stop.
What’s Happening? Adam Stern dropped a bombshell on the NASCAR world on Monday reporting that JTG-Daugherty Racing could see a…
Could this be the opening for Geshickter and Kroger to join JGR? It would be hard for Kroger to say no to being associated with a top-tier team that routinely competes for Championships. Ultimately, time will tell.
Truex Jr.’s retirement could affect many moves. What does that mean for the rest of Silly Season? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona drew nearly 1.4 million viewers on FS1, beating the 2025 opening race number by 37%, and becoming the most-viewed Truck Series event since 2016.
NASCAR’s secondary series is facing a huge brand change, leaving the title name “Xfinity Series” to become the brand-new O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. What is not changing, however, is its broadcast partner. The CW is headed for its 2nd season with the series, and has been investing heavily in it. Year after year, we put up the rating numbers and rank them accordingly in comparison to the previous season. Here’s how it works:
All Races (1 Total in 2026)
It wouldn’t be Daytona without some weird, wacky, and headline-grabbing fallout. From viral Victory Lane moments to renewed debates about driver approval, NASCAR’s biggest race once again delivered more than just on-track drama. And with Michael Jordan celebrating a Daytona 500 win, the spotlight burned brighter than it has in years.
Jordan’s presence mattered. When the most iconic athlete of a generation shows genuine emotion upon winning the Daytona 500, it reminds the wider sports world that this race still matters. That kind of authentic publicity cannot be manufactured. It resonated far beyond the garage. Meanwhile, the O’Reilly Series race added fuel to another ongoing debate. The massive Decker crash, Cleetus McFarland’s Truck debut incident, and past approval inconsistencies have once again raised tough questions. Consistency, transparency, and accountability are now front and center. Add in Austin Hill’s dominance and Ryan Ellis’ career-best sixth-place run to open the season, and Daytona gave fans plenty to talk about on and off the track.
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