Ryan Matthew Truex (born March 18, 1992) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competes part-time in theNASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 24Toyota GR Supra forSam Hunt Racing. He also serves as a reserve driver forJoe Gibbs Racing in the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Truex's older brotherMartin was the2017NASCAR Cup Series champion.
A native ofMayetta, New Jersey, Truex would make his East Series debut in 2008 at Stafford Motor Speedway in the No. 8 car forDale Earnhardt, Inc. Truex won the 2009 NASCARCamping World East Series Championship as a 17-year-old high school student atSouthern Regional High School.[1]
In the 11-race season, he finished the season with eight Top 5s.[1] He had three wins atWatkins Glen,Thompson,[2] andLime Rock Park.[3]
In 2010, he won his second consecutive Camping World East Series title in a Michael Waltrip-owned Toyota.[4]
Truex competed in six NASCAR Nationwide Series events, beginning atGateway International Raceway on July 17, 2010.[5] Truex was intended to run for Rookie of the Year in 2011 with MWR. However, motocross stunt performerTravis Pastrana ran the No. 99 for 7 races. Truex planned to skip ROTY and run 10 consecutive races in the Nationwide Series, then 20 races in 2012, though surgery forced him out of the 99 at Texas and was replaced byDavid Reutimann and team owner Waltrip, who drove at the restrictor plate tracks. Waltrip and Ryan's brother Martin also split time in the ride.
Due to a lack of sponsorship in the 99 team, Truex was released from Pastrana Waltrip Racing after theSTP 300. Truex returned to the Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, running several races late in the 2011 season. In 2012, he drove forTommy Baldwin Racing in the season-openingDRIVE4COPD 300 atDaytona International Speedway,[4] finishing 31st. He ran a limited schedule for JGR,[6] while he also drove forRAB Racing atTexas Motor Speedway in April.[7]
On June 2, 2012, Truex got a career best finish of second atDover International Speedway driving for JGR. Racing shortly after an emergencyappendectomy,[8] he started the race first after winning his first career Nationwide Series pole,[9] and led late before being caught in lapped traffic byJoey Logano.[10]
In February 2013, Truex announced that he would compete in theCamping World Truck Series forTurner Scott Motorsports atDaytona International Speedway;[11] he hoped to compete in further races during the year and registered to compete for the series'Rookie of the Year title. In addition, he signed withPhoenix Racing to compete in theSprint Cup Series, competing in at least one race atRichmond International Raceway, as well as atIndianapolis Motor Speedway for the team in the Nationwide Series;[11] his debut in the Sprint Cup Series and his Nationwide Series race was later delayed due to Truex suffering a brokencollarbone.[12]
On June 2, 2013, it was announced that Truex had signed withRichard Petty Motorsports as adevelopment driver;[13] in mid-July it was announced that he would make his Sprint Cup debut withPhoenix Racing in theIrwin Tools Night Race atBristol Motor Speedway drivingJames Finch's No. 51.[14] AfterHarry Scott Jr.'s takeover of the No. 51 team two weeks later, Truex drove for Scott in his first race as team owner atRichmond International Raceway. He drove for Scott again at his home track ofDover International Speedway, finishing 32nd.[15]
In January 2014, Truex drove forBK Racing during testing prior to the2014 Daytona 500 in the No. 93.[16] He was later assigned to the team's No. 83 for the full season.[17] Truex also drove the No. 32Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Turner Scott Motorsports in the season-opening Camping World Truck Series race atDaytona International Speedway.[18] In August he suffered a sprained wrist and concussion in a practice crash atMichigan International Speedway; he was forced to sit out that weekend's race, being replaced byJ. J. Yeley.[19]
In September, Truex was replaced in the No. 83 car byTravis Kvapil in races atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway andDover International Speedway; discussions about his position with the team for the remainder of the season were said to be "ongoing".[20] During the race weekend at Dover, Truex confirmed that he was no longer with BK Racing.[21] After receiving no rides in 2015, Truex was picked up byBiagi-DenBeste Racing to drive three races starting at Richmond in theXfinity Series.
After not finding a ride in 2015, in 2016, Truex returned to the Truck Series for the season opener at Daytona, driving the No. 81 forHattori Racing Enterprises.[22] Truex ran in the top ten for a portion of the race, and was in the lead on the last lap when he lost support fromParker Kligerman.[23] After finishing 2nd, he announced he was runningAtlanta,Martinsville,Kansas and hoped to run the whole season. Unfortunately though, sponsorship had been an issue for the team, he was replaced byJesse Little for Texas, and was reduced to a limited schedule for the rest of the year. But Truex returned to HRE in 2017, now running the full Truck schedule in the renumbered No. 16.[24][25] After finishing ninth in points with 13 top-ten finishes (including eight in the top five) and two poles, he was released by HRE on January 4, 2018.[26] However, his jobless status would not last long, as he signed withKaulig Racing to drive their flagship No. 11 car in theNASCAR Xfinity Series for 2018 with sponsorship from partner Bar Harbor Foods. With 1 top 5 and 11 top 10 finishes, Truex finished 12th in points after being eliminated after the Round Of 12.
Truex lost his ride with Kaulig whenJustin Haley was announced as his successor in the No. 11 for 2019. On January 16, Truex announced he would enter theDaytona 500 withTommy Baldwin Racing, driving the No. 71.[27] On January 25, 2019, it was announced that Truex would drive the No. 8 car forJR Motorsports part-time.[28] Truex cold-texted team ownerDale Earnhardt Jr. to inquire about open rides in the offseason and was able to find a large enough budget to run part-time in the No. 8.[29] In his first race with the team atPhoenix he scored his first top-five sinceMid-Ohio by tying his best-career finish of 2nd.
In 2020, Truex returned to the Truck Series as he signed a six-race deal withNiece Motorsports starting with the Texas race in March.[30] Truex initially sought a full-time ride with the team but was unable to bring enough sponsorship to secure a full season.[29] After running nine races in 2020, with a best finish of 12th atLas Vegas and Kansas, Truex upgraded to a full-time schedule with Niece for the 2021 season.[31]
Truex returned to the Xfinity Series, driving theJoe Gibbs Racing No. 18 on a part-time basis in2022. He was scheduled to run only 5 races in 2022 butAuto-Owners Insurance (which sponsors his brother Martin’s No. 19 Cup car) joined him last minute for a race atAtlanta Motor Speedway.[32] His best finish that season was 3rd at Atlanta. He would return to the renumbered No. 19 car in 2023 afterSammy Smith would move to the No. 18 full-time. Truex would finish 2nd at Phoenix Raceway to his teammate Smith. He scored his first career win atDover, the site of his brother, Martin’s first Cup Series win in 2007.[33][34] Martin won the Cup race two days later, becoming the fifth set of brothers to win on the same race weekend.[35]
For2024, Truex returned to JGR part-time, alternating between the No. 19 and No. 20 teams. He brought the No. 20 to victory lane atDover.[36] Truex scored his second win of the season at theDaytona summer race.[37] He returned toSam Hunt Racing to drive their No. 26 car inthe race atHomestead-Miami for the first time since the season-opener at Daytona in 2022.[38]
He is the younger brother of 2017 Cup Series champion and two-time Busch Series championMartin Truex Jr.,[1] and the son of former Busch Series driverMartin Truex Sr.
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | MENCC | Pts | Ref |
2013 | Phoenix Racing | 51 | Chevy | DAY | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | MAR | TEX | KAN | RCH | TAL | DAR | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | KEN | DAY | NHA | IND | POC | GLN | MCH | BRI 42 | ATL | RCH 35 | CHI | NHA | DOV 32 | KAN | CLT | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 68th | 01 | [39] |
2014 | BK Racing | 83 | Toyota | DAY DNQ | PHO 35 | LVS 35 | BRI 42 | CAL 31 | MAR 30 | TEX DNQ | DAR 40 | RCH 31 | TAL 31 | KAN 43 | CLT 38 | DOV 32 | POC 32 | MCH DNQ | SON 41 | KEN 33 | DAY 32 | NHA 36 | IND 41 | POC 20 | GLN 39 | MCH INQ† | BRI 37 | ATL 36 | RCH 42 | CHI 42 | NHA | DOV | KAN | CLT | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 39th | 193 | [40] |
2019 | Tommy Baldwin Racing | 71 | Chevy | DAY DNQ | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | MAR | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | DOV | KAN | CLT | POC | MCH | SON | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | POC | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | IND | LVS | RCH | ROV | DOV | TAL | KAN | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 65th | 01 | [41] |
† – Qualified but replaced byJ. J. Yeley |
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | BK Racing | Toyota | DNQ | |
2019 | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | DNQ |
NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | NXSC | Pts | Ref |
2010 | Diamond-Waltrip Racing | 00 | Toyota | DAY | CAL | LVS | BRI | NSH | PHO | TEX | TAL | RCH | DAR | DOV | CLT | NSH | KEN | ROA | NHA | DAY | CHI | GTW 28 | IRP | IOW | GLN | MCH 12 | BRI | CGV | ATL | RCH 26 | DOV | 60th | 673 | [42] | |||||||
99 | KAN 15 | CAL | CLT 37 | GTW 15 | TEX | PHO 23 | HOM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | Pastrana-Waltrip Racing | DAY | PHO 14 | LVS 19 | BRI 20 | CAL 17 | TEX | TAL | NSH 16 | RCH 8 | DAR 25 | DOV 18 | IOW 34 | CLT | CHI 20 | MCH | ROA | DAY | KEN | NHA | NSH | IRP | IOW | GLN | CGV | BRI | CLT 34 | TEX | 22nd | 459 | [43] | ||||||||||
Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Toyota | ATL 11 | RCH 4 | CHI 13 | DOV 8 | KAN 10 | PHO 8 | HOM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 | Tommy Baldwin Racing | 36 | Chevy | DAY 31 | PHO | LVS | 23rd | 298 | [44] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Toyota | BRI 10 | CAL | TAL 11 | DAR | IOW | CLT | DOV 2 | MCH | ROA | KEN | DAY | GLN 15 | CGV | BRI | ATL | HOM 38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
RAB Racing | 09 | Toyota | TEX 32 | RCH | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | NHA 10 | CHI 10 | IND | IOW | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RAB Racing | 99 | Toyota | RCH 14 | CHI | KEN | DOV 16 | CLT | KAN | TEX | PHO | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | Richard Petty Motorsports | 9 | Ford | DAY | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | TEX | RCH | TAL | DAR | CLT | DOV | IOW | MCH | ROA | KEN | DAY | NHA | CHI | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH QL† | BRI | ATL | RCH | CHI | KEN | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | PHO | HOM | N/A | – | [45] | ||
2015 | Biagi-DenBeste Racing | 98 | Ford | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | IOW | CLT | DOV | MCH | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ROA | DAR | RCH 31 | CHI | KEN 28 | DOV | CLT 17 | KAN | TEX 20 | PHO | HOM | 43rd | 80 | [46] | ||
2018 | Kaulig Racing | 11 | Chevy | DAY 7 | ATL 9 | LVS 15 | PHO 15 | CAL 12 | TEX 13 | BRI 10 | RCH 7 | TAL 38 | DOV 11 | CLT 6 | POC 10 | MCH 10 | IOW 14 | CHI 15 | DAY 13 | KEN 13 | NHA 13 | IOW 8 | GLN 18 | MOH 5 | BRI 22 | ROA 25 | DAR 15 | IND 22 | LVS 8 | RCH 11 | ROV 16 | DOV 10 | KAN 11 | TEX 33 | PHO 13 | HOM 15 | 12th | 2160 | [47] | ||
2019 | JR Motorsports | 8 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO 2 | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | DOV | CLT | POC | MCH | IOW | CHI | DAY | KEN 8 | NHA 7 | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ROA | DAR | IND | LVS 14 | RCH | ROV 10 | DOV | KAN 38 | TEX | PHO | HOM | 33rd | 169 | [48] | ||
2022 | Sam Hunt Racing | 26 | Toyota | DAY 12 | CAL | 34th | 162 | [49] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | LVS 30 | PHO | ATL | COA | RCH | MAR 7 | TAL | DOV | DAR 30 | TEX 6 | CLT | PIR | NSH | ROA | ATL 3 | NHA | POC | IRC | MCH | GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | TAL | ROV | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO | ||||||||
2023 | 19 | DAY | CAL | LVS | PHO 2 | ATL 3 | COA | RCH | MAR 12 | TAL 17 | DOV 1* | DAR 35 | CLT | PIR | SON | NSH | CSC | ATL | NHA | POC | ROA | MCH | IRC | GLN | DAY | DAR | KAN | BRI | TEX | ROV | LVS | HOM | MAR | PHO | 31st | 197 | [50] | ||||
2024 | DAY 21 | ATL 9 | LVS | PHO | COA | RCH | MAR | 28th | 319 | [51] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | TEX 7 | TAL 34 | DOV 1 | DAR | CLT | PIR 27 | SON | IOW | NHA | NSH | CSC | POC 19 | IND | MCH | DAY 1 | DAR | ATL 10 | GLN | BRI 5 | KAN | TAL | ROV | LVS | ||||||||||||||||||
Sam Hunt Racing | 26 | Toyota | HOM 21 | MAR | PHO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2025 | 24 | DAY 17 | ATL | COA | PHO | LVS | HOM | MAR | DAR | BRI | CAR | TAL | TEX | CLT | NSH | MXC | POC | ATL | CSC | SON | DOV | IND | IOW | GLN | DAY | PIR | GTW | BRI | KAN | ROV | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | -* | -* | [52] | ||||
† – Qualified forMarcos Ambrose |
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||
2012 | Hillman Racing | 27 | Chevy | DAY | MAR | CAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | KEN | IOW | CHI | POC | MCH | BRI | ATL | IOW | KEN | LVS | TAL | MAR 19 | TEX | PHO 9 | HOM | 90th | 01 | [53] | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | Turner Scott Motorsports | 30 | Chevy | DAY 28 | MAR | CAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | KEN | IOW | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | IOW | CHI | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 73rd | 16 | [54] | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 32 | DAY 4 | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | KEN | IOW | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | 93rd | 01 | [55] | ||||||||||||||||||
2016 | Hattori Racing Enterprises | 81 | Toyota | DAY 2 | ATL 20 | MAR 12 | KAN 6 | DOV 8 | CLT 22 | TEX | IOW | GTW 26 | KEN | ELD | POC | BRI | MCH 23 | MSP 21 | CHI 15 | NHA 16 | LVS | TAL 8 | MAR 14 | TEX 21 | PHO | HOM 32 | 18th | 250 | [56] | |||||||||||||||
2017 | 16 | DAY 28 | ATL 13 | MAR 10 | KAN 6 | CLT 4 | DOV 10 | TEX 4 | GTW 7 | IOW 20 | KEN 23 | ELD 20 | POC 3 | MCH 4 | BRI 16 | MSP 5 | CHI 4 | NHA 2 | LVS 12 | TAL 28 | MAR 13 | TEX 8 | PHO 19 | HOM 4 | 9th | 772 | [57] | |||||||||||||||||
2020 | Niece Motorsports | 40 | Chevy | DAY | LVS | CLT | ATL 13 | HOM | POC | KEN 27 | TEX 13 | KAN | KAN | MCH 19 | DRC | DOV | GTW | DAR | RCH | BRI | LVS 12 | TAL | KAN 12 | TEX 34 | MAR 30 | PHO 21 | 31st | 157 | [58] | |||||||||||||||
2021 | DAY 4 | DRC 31 | LVS 38 | ATL 15 | BRD 20 | RCH 40 | KAN 20 | DAR 11 | COA 20 | CLT 12 | TEX 16 | NSH 26 | POC 18 | KNX 13 | GLN 17 | GTW 13 | DAR 33 | BRI 16 | LVS 9 | TAL 5 | MAR 33 | PHO 19 | 16th | 404 | [59] |
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSEC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008 | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | 8 | Chevy | GRE | IOW | SBO | GLN | NHA | TMP | MCM | ADI | LRP | MFD | NHA | DOV | STA 11 | 61st | 130 | [60] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | Michael Waltrip Racing | 00 | Toyota | GRE 14 | TRI 16 | IOW 19 | SBO 3 | GLN 1 | NHA 2 | TMP 1 | ADI 2 | LRP 1 | NHA 3 | DOV 8 | 1st | 1719 | [61] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | GRE 14* | SBO 3 | IOW 5 | MAR 2 | NHA 1* | LRP 5 | LEE 2 | JFC 7 | NHA 1* | DOV 3 | 1st | 1662 | [62] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 | Hattori Racing Enterprises | 11 | Toyota | NSM | GRE | BRI 25 | SBO | SBO | MEM | BLN | TMP | NHA | IOW | 39th | 46 | [63] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
01 | GLN 19 | LGY | NJM | DOV |
Go Ryan (& Sam) @Ryan_Truex, two-time @NASCAR_Xfinity winner this season, returns behind the wheel of the No. 26 GR Supra this weekend at @HomesteadMiami!
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by | K&N Pro Series East champion 2009–2010 | Succeeded by |