NASCAR: 3 possible options for a Martin Truex Jr. return in 2025

No. 3 - Xfinity Series

Martin Truex Jr. has been racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for a very long time, and he hasn't had much time to do anything else, whether it be racing elsewhere, or enjoying his longtime hobby of fishing.

The 2017 Cup champion admitted to this when speaking immediately after making his retirement announcement in Iowa.

"Just felt like the right time for me. Honestly, I’ve thought about it a lot the past few seasons and just waited for that feeling in my mind to be positive...Something just felt different this year for me. I felt like it was time to slow down and do something else."

- Martin Truex Jr.

While it is very possible that he will still compete in various races, one question that has been rather overlooked is whether he would keep racing in the Cup Series for all of it. If he wants to keep racing off and on, there's no reason to believe that he wouldn't want to scale back an inch further and have some fun in the Xfinity Series as well, just like old times.

"Maybe. I don’t know. I’d be open to it. (Joe Gibbs) has got Xfinity cars. Coach, I’m bored, I want to go race. Let’s go!"

- Martin Truex Jr.

Joe Gibbs Racing have had a rotating cast of drivers, including Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, and Truex's younger brother, Ryan, racing behind the wheel of the No. 20 Toyota in the Xfinity Series. Surely if there is an open slot, and the timing is right, Martin could hop in for a few races as well.

The two-time Busch Series champion has also publicly stated that he wants to spend some time helping his younger brother with some of his own races in the Xfinity Series, whether it be via a potential ride share or maybe even working with him in a mentorship role.

One of his proudest moments in recent memory was winning the Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway in 2023, just after Ryan won the Xfinity Series race earlier in the weekend to complete the family sweep.

It's no secret that Ryan has had it tougher in regard to his NASCAR career than Martin has, and judging by the emotion Martin had after Ryan's first career win at Dover in 2023, there's no way he won't want to play some part in helping him ascend to that level again.

Regardless of what Truex decides to do in 2025 and potentially even beyond, what is clear is that he has the full support of both Joe Gibbs and Denny Hamlin with virtually whatever decision he makes.

For a driver as accomplished, loved, and respected throughout the NASCAR community as he is, it's all he could have possibly hoped for.