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Martin Truex Jr. is a driver many are keeping a close eye on as 2024 rolls on. He mulled retirement before the end of 2023, and, the same question awaits him in 2024. Should he retire, who could drive for Joe Gibbs Racing?
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Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports reported on June 3rd that Briscoe “Could be a possible candidate” for SHR should Truex Jr. retire. This comes after Briscoe lost his ride for 2025 due to Stewart-Haas Racing shutting down at season’s end.
This would be a big shift for Briscoe, as he has been a Ford loyalist throughout his career. However, it would be an incredible opportunity in top equipment. Everyone agrees that he has overachieved this season being on the cusp of a Playoff berth.
Pockrass also reported that Erik Jones is a candidate for this seat at JGR. This would be a homecoming for Jones, who spent three seasons with JGR before Christopher Bell took over the No. 20 car in 2021.
Jones had some success with JGR, winning two races including the 2019 Southern 500. However, he never was a true Championship contender, and Christopher Bell was too good of a prospect to pass up. Could this be Jones’ second chance in top equipment?
The final driver Pockrass mentioned as a candidate for the No. 19 is Noah Gragson. This is primarily due to sponsorship with Bass Pro Shops sponsoring both Martin Truex Jr. and Gragson. If Truex Jr. leaves, who not bring in another Bass Pro Shops driver?
Joe Gibbs Racing tends to handle free-spirited drivers quite well, and Gragson is definitely a free spirit. However, anytime a driver gets a shot in top equipment, no one really knows how things will turn out.
Chandler could be the frontrunner for the Cup Series seat should Truex Jr. retire. Smith is the best-performing JGR Xfinity Series driver currently, and he has funding behind him. It’s the perfect blend of talent and funding that team owners dream of.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Smith doesn’t get the Cup Series ride. That is, unless Toyota really wants another driver in that seat, or if JGR finds a veteran free agent. However, neither of those scenarios seems particularly likely.
Sheldon Creed is on this list primarily because he’s a JGR Xfinity Series driver currently. Yes, Smith is the favorite to land the No. 19 Cup Series ride should Truex Jr. retire, but, Creed can’t be totally written off.
Then again, Creed needs to set the world on for the final two-thirds of 2024. He needs to win races and compete for a Championship if he wants a shot at the Cup Series with the team. He hasn’t won an Xfinity Series race yet, so, it’s an uphill battle.
William Sawalich is one of the top talents in the ARCA Menards Series. He drives for Joe Gibbs Racing across all 3 ARCA Series, and he has multiple wins already. He’s also getting starts for JGR in the Xfinity Series later this season.
Sawalich is only 17, so, moving him straight into Xfinity at 18 years old might be a bit soon to some. Maybe he could benefit from a full-time ARCA Menards Series season or even racing in the Truck Series. However, JGR has moved their prospects up quickly before with examples including Joey Logano and Zane Smith.
Taylor Gray is quietly putting together some solid runs in the lower series. He currently sits 5th in the Craftsman Truck Series points standings, and he nabbed a top-5 in his Xfinity Series debut for JGR at Richmond. That current JGR connection makes Gray an interesting dark horse pick for an Xfinity Series seat.
However, Gray is not as highly touted as other drivers are. Corey Heim and William Sawalich are all top prospects, while Taylor Gray has not won a National Touring Series race yet. Is he impressive enough to move up to Cup?
Corey Heim is the premier prospect in all of the lower series right now. He continually gets good results and wins races, and he currently leads Craftsman Truck Series points. He’s really good, and that’s what puts him as a dark horse for both the Xfinity and maybe even the Cup Series seat.
However, Heim is not currently in the JGR pipeline. He’s more of a Toyota prospect than a JGR prospect, and how much funding does he really bring? All of that could hold him out of this potential opportunity.
Joe Gibbs Racing is a team to follow as 2024 Silly Season rolls on. It all depends on Martin Truex Jr.
