In NASCAR, the bond between a driver and their crew chief is one of the most pivotal relationships in motorsports. This partnership requires immense trust, communication, and synergy both on and off the track.

A prime example of this is the relationship between Martin Truex Jr. and his crew chief, James Small, who have shared countless triumphs and challenges. Their journey showcases how crucial the crew chief-driver dynamic is to sustained success in NASCAR’s demanding Cup Series.

Who is Martin Truex Jr.?

Martin Truex Jr., a seasoned veteran in NASCAR’s Cup Series, has been a driving force in the sport since his debut in 2004. With a wealth of experience and a proven track record, Truex has solidified his position as one of the top contenders. His championship pedigree, highlighted by his 2017 Cup Series title and two Xfinity Series championships in 2004 and 2005, showcases his exceptional talent and ability to consistently perform at the highest level. The 2024 season is Truex Jr.’s last Cup Series as he announced his retirement.

Who is Martin Truex Jr.’s crew chief, James Small?

James Small is a multiple-time Cup Series-winning crew chief. He has worked with several teams and drivers throughout his career. Most notably, Small is the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Together, they achieved significant success, including multiple wins and strong playoff performances. Small’s expertise and leadership in the pit box have made him a respected and influential member of the NASCAR community.

James Small’s early life

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A 38-year-old native of Melbourne, Australia, Small comes from a family deeply rooted in motorsports. Despite growing up thousands of miles away from NASCAR’s North Carolina base, he developed a passionate love for the sport, inspired by drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, and Bobby Labonte. His father, Les Small, a mechanic in the Australian Supercar series, played a significant role in nurturing his son’s interest.

James Small’s father even accompanied Allan Grice, an Australian driver, to the United States in the 1980s to work as a mechanic on his Cup team at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Reminiscing in the old days, Small had said, “The best race I ever really watched — I had it recorded and used to watch it every week — was the (1990) Daytona 500 that Derrike Cope won. It was the only race I had to watch. For like a whole year, that’s all I watched.” All this piqued his interest in a career in motorsport.

James Small’s racing career

He originally aspired to become a professional driver, hoping to compete against his childhood heroes and even explore opportunities in Formula One. However, financial constraints forced him to reconsider his career path.

Leveraging his mechanical engineering degree from Swinburne University of Technology, James Small transitioned to the engineering side of racing, joining a Supercar team, where he worked for 8 years. After achieving a significant milestone by winning the Bathurst 1000 in 2013, he finally decided to take the leap and pursue his NASCAR aspirations. Despite his success as a race-winning engineer, his dream of working in NASCAR persisted.

James Small foraying into NASCAR

For Small, the decision was straightforward. In December 2013, he left Australia to join RCR as an engineer. At RCR, James Small met Cole Pearn and Furniture Row Racing, an affiliate team. That is where he started working with Martin Truex Jr. (2015 to 2019). Later, when FRR shut down after the 2018 season, Small, Pearn, Truex Jr., and several other team members all transitioned to JGR together.

James Small promoted to Crew Chief

The Kiwi continued to work as a crew chief in RCR. And when Cole Pearn decided to resign as crew chief after the 2019 season, it made sense that Small was the first and only choice to replace him.

As James Small took the crew chief role for MTJ, succeeding Pearn, he said, “I definitely think people don’t hold NASCAR engineering in high enough esteem. There are some incredibly talented people that work in this industry, and we do some crazy stuff that people aren’t doing in other categories around the world. NASCAR doesn’t always get the rap it needs from an engineering perspective.” It was hard to fill the shoes of a legend, as the pair had secured 24 wins and a championship in 2017.

James Small’s success as Martin Truex Jr.’s Crew Chief

Even though Small was made the crew chief in 2019, it was after the season was over. MTJ in 2019 backed 7 wins with a career-best average of 9.75 and also qualified for the championship four at Homestead (after which it shifted to Pheonix).

• In James Small’s first season, the duo managed only one win. Martin Truex Jr. finished seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, snapping a streak of three consecutive Championship 4 appearances that started with his first title in 2017.
• In the season that followed, the pair scored 4 wins, showing splendid consistency. After making it to the Championship 4 for the fourth time in five seasons, Martin Truex Jr. was leading the NASCAR Cup Series championship race with 30 laps remaining in the 2021 season. But a caution gave Kyle Larson the lead, and MTJ finished the season in P2.
• The 2022 season was Small’s worst; they went winless after 7 consecutive seasons. This had tensions build between the pair. But they powered through their differences.
• After a challenging 2022 season, Truex Jr. had considered retiring. However, he came with Small on his side for a strong 2023 season, securing three wins and advancing to the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs tied with William Byron for first place. Unfortunately, he did not make it to the Round of 8.

What does the 2024 Cup Series season hold for Martin Truex Jr. and James Small?

Recently, Martin Truex Jr. announced his retirement. This is the pair’s last year together. Although it did not come as a surprise to Small. After MTJ’s announcement, Small also said, “We’ve been expecting this for the last two or three years or whatever, and we get the opposite decision. So yeah, it’s not really any surprise. We would have loved for him to keep going another year. Ultimately, whatever makes him happy we support him.” 

2024 is the last chance for James Small to win a championship with MTJ. And end their long relationship on a historic and special note. In the regular season, Truex Jr. went winless. He only managed four top-5 finishes and nine top-10s with an average finish of 17, which is his worst since 2014. MTJ barely made the playoffs in the 16th position after crashing out early in the Darlington race.

Hopefully, this won’t be the last chapter of their story, as an eventful playoff is yet to come.

Who knows, maybe he will end his NASCAR campaign by becoming a multiple-time NASCAR champion?