Martin Truex Jr Unmasks Cup Drivers’ Growing Respect for Joe Gibbs’ ‘Smart’ Grandson

The bond between Martin Truex Jr and Ty Gibbs goes beyond just being teammates. It reflects a mentor-mentee relationship within the Joe Gibbs Racing garage. Truex Jr is a seasoned veteran with a championship under his belt and he likely sees a great deal of potential in young Gibbs and understands the importance of nurturing young talent with the sport.

As a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, Truex Jr had the front-row seat to witness Ty Gibbs’s rise in the sport. Furthermore, Gibbs taking his first-ever NASCAR Cup pole position at the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 only adds to the buzz surrounding the young rising talent, and Martin Truex Jr was quick to praise him.

Martin Truex Jr. applauds young Ty Gibbs

Ty Gibbs’s impressive qualifying performance at Charlotte proved that he is an up-and-coming driver in the making. Truex Jr spoke to the media about his growing respect for the young driver highlighting his intelligence and racing prowess, “Well, we talked between rounds, and I guess I helped him too much. I didn’t help myself enough. So no, honestly, congrats to him. He’s doing an awesome job.”

Their camaraderie extends beyond racing which is evident by the way Truex Jr talks about him, “Great kid, fun to be around. And I’ve enjoyed our conversations over the last year or so. And he’s really coming into his own, man. He’s so good.  He’s going to be an amazing driver for a long time. I’m really proud of him.”

The #19 Toyota driver emphasized Gibbs’s significant process and stated that he has grown in his confidence. He also noted that Gibbs has been able to extract the most out of his car consistently throughout the season. As the season moves forward, Gibbs is starting to prove himself as a formidable competitor in the top series. On the other hand, Martin Truex Jr is on a mission of his own.

Truex Jr. reflects on his historic 2016 Coca-Cola 600 win

As Truex gears up for another round at the Coca-Cola 600, he couldn’t help but reminisce about his stellar performance back in 2016. Truex’s dominance in 2016 where he led an astonishing 392 laps out of 400 before claiming his victory is one for the history books.

Speaking to the press in Charlotte after qualifying in fourth place, Truex took a moment to reflect on his memorable win at the track. “Certainly that 2016 Coke 600 was a special day. We started on the pole and led almost every lap, and the only laps we didn’t lead were when we were pitting. Essentially led every lap we were on the track racing. To do that in a 600-mile race, the longest of the year, to do that was as close to perfection as it gets,” he said.

Truex’s 2016 victory was nothing short of extraordinary. He showcased his skill behind the steering wheel leading almost every lap around the grueling 600-mile race track which is something only a dominant driver like MTJ could achieve.