You have to go back to Sunday, November 20, 2005 to find the most recent NASCAR Cup Series race in which Martin Truex Jr. did not compete. No active driver's streak dates back longer.
But after this coming Sunday's Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, this will no longer be true.
Truex competed in every single race from the start of the 2006 season to the end of the 2024 season. He was with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. from 2006 to 2008, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2009, Michael Waltrip Racing from 2010 to 2013, Furniture Row Racing from 2014 to 2018, and Joe Gibbs Racing from 2019 to 2024.
Martin Truex Jr. has made 685 straight NASCAR Cup Series starts
The 2017 series champion retired from full-time competition after the 2024 season, but he extended his series-long 684-race start streak, a streak which ranks sixth on the all-time list, by competing in the 2025 season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
With support from Joe Gibbs Racing, Tricon Garage made their Cup Series debut, fielding the No. 56 Toyota for Truex. The No. 56 was a nod to Truex's four seasons with Michael Waltrip Racing; he got his first career Cup Series win in 2013 at Sonoma Raceway.
With the No. 56 Toyota not being a chartered car and Truex having not been granted any sort of a provisional spot in the "Great American Race", he needed to qualify either on speed or Duel result. He was able to lock in on speed, as he was the fastest qualifier among the nine in non-chartered (open) entries.
Truex's Daytona 500 ended with a wreck, but he still extended his consecutive starts streak to 685. But that streak will not reach 686, as he is not on the entry list this weekend for the first time in more than 19 years.
The three open cars on the entry list are Rick Ware Racing's No. 01 Ford for Corey LaJoie, NY Racing Team's No. 44 Chevrolet for J.J. Yeley, and Live Fast Motorsports' No. 78 Chevrolet for B.J. McLeod. All three appeared at Daytona, though only LaJoie qualified for the race.
Truex's plans for the remainder of the 2025 season have not yet been announced.
The Ambetter Health 400 is set to air live on Fox from Atlanta Motor Speedway starting at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, February 23. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and don't miss any of the action!