Will 2024 Be Joe Gibbs’ Biggest Nightmare, or Will He Find the Perfect Solution in John Hunter Nemechek or Tyler Reddick … or SVG?

With his emphatic win at New Hampshire, Martin Truex Jr etched the Truex family’s name on the track, taking home the 22-pound crustacean, claiming his third win of the season and reclaiming the #1 spot. 2023 certainly has been a major turnaround for the 42-year-old as he ended his 54-race winless streak in Dover, ending his 2022 slump and racking up 2 Monday race wins, once again solidifying himself as the division’s top dog.

Despite an underwhelming last season, and not being able to make it into playoffs, Truex Jr has made massive struggles to get this far. While it was a rough sail for the driver last season, Truex Jr is bang on target, securing a playoff berth and steadily cruising along with his JGR crew chief, James Small.

However, with his total domination at NHMS, the attention is back on the driver’s future. Will the 42-year-old put a full stop here with this season? Or will he stay back for more titles and continue his winning ways? Let us take a closer look at the speculations and possible replacements considering this indeed would be his final season.

Martin Truex Jr’s 2024 season: More speculations and possible replacements

Now, for ardent racing fans, Martin Truex Jr doesn’t need a proper introduction. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been in the game for the past 18 years and has captivated the community several times with his unparalleled driving prowess, especially on short tracks with a knack for Monday races. His actions spoke louder than his words when Truex Jr won the 2017 Cup Series title, battling it out with his then-teammate, Kyle Busch.

Despite having such an incredible track record with over 34 Cup Series wins, 2022 was nothing but a disaster for him. Struggling to pick a win, he finished an awful 17th spot when the schedule was over with Joey Logano emerging as the champion. But the silent monk was on a mission this season, ending his winless drought at Dover, he never looked back as he blasted off into the playoffs with 3 wins, amassing 667 points to the points leader.

However, soon after his NHMS performance, NASCAR nation took a slight detour when the community dived into his retirement rumors. With almost everyone coming with their own takes, Martin Truex Jr revealed his dilemma, saying, “I don’t know. I’m not sure. You know, I was talking out there to Claire, and I was like, This sport isn’t all exactly what it appears to be sometimes. It takes a big commitment.” 

While the veteran is unsure about his plans, 1999 Winston Cup champion and NBC analyst, Dale Jarrett gave the community his take, stating Joe Gibbs as the only one to convince the 42-year-old to stay on at JGR. He also said it wouldn’t be because of Gibbs’ lavish proposition but because he convinced himself to stay on a few years longer.

If this is his final season per se, let us look at some of the brightest prospects who are highly regarded as the #19 driver’s replacement in JGR. Including the Supercar champ, SVG, and Xfinity sensation, John Hunter Nemechek.

Possible #19 replacements and rumors

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Surrounding this discussion, Truex Jr.’s long-time friend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. also gave his thoughts. Speaking on his popular podcast, Dale Jr. Download. Reflecting on former DEI driver, Dale Jr reflected on his calm personality, highlighting him as a man of few words. Dale Jr. also said that his winning streak or his championship thirst won’t be the compelling factor for him to stay on.

“I don’t know how much more he could do, you know, does he stick around and grind out a couple more years for a few more wins, and even if he wins a championship this year, I don’t know if that keeps him around. We’re all waiting, so we’ll see,” said the JR Motorsports co-owner about his close friend. Now coming to the brightest prospects that could be a worthy replacement for the #19 driver.

1. John Hunter Nemechek is the first name that comes on the list. The #20 JGR sensation is lauded as a rising phenom currently ranked as the #1 in NASCAR’s second-tier division, the Xfinity Series with 4 wins this season. While the 26-year-old tried his luck in the Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports, MTJ’s absence in 2024 is almost certain to land the youngster a full-time role as JGR’s Cup Series driver. Even the “Rowdy” has his own harsh and honest take on this, saying, a 6 million dollar check may get him the spot. But the youngster is indeed a bright prospect worthy to be in the #19 car.

2. Another latest rumor is circling around the Chicago Street race winner, Shane Van Gisgergen. The Kiwi is now a free agent and his NASCAR success has raised several rumors about the Supercar champion putting on a full-time role. If these reports have substance in them, SVG would prefer a competent team like Stewart-Haas Racing or even JGR in case MTJ sails off into the sunset with the 2023 title.

WATCH THIS STORY: Denny Hamlin confesses disagreement with JGR member after falling victim to HMS star

3. Ty Gibbs. Even though Joe Gibbs’ grandson is safely tucked away in the #54 Toyota, in the team. Truex Jr.’s absence next season might prompt Joe Gibbs to move the youngster into the #19 car, his original car in Xfinity. Though replacing a veteran with a 20-year-old might not seem like a great idea, who knows? There’s a strong possibility given the 20-year-old’s Cup Series opportunity at such a young age, moreover, the presence of Hamlin in the camp may prompt Gibbs’ to promote the youngster to the #19 car under Hamlin’s guidance.

4. Now, the name here might surprise many. Ryan Truex, the 31-year-old brother of Martin Treux Jr. While he is currently competing as a part-timer with JGR, fielding the #19 Supra in the Xfinity Series, his inexperience is the major deterrent. But just the idea of the younger brother replacing the 42-year-old is itself a great storyline for the sport, bringing in more viewers. But all this is of course strictly based on Ryan Truex’s performances so on that note, it’s more than likely to happen but still not out of the picture.

5. The last one in the discussion is Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin‘s own 23XI Racing driver. While the road racing specialist is a prominent player in the team, a shift to the JGR might increase his chances of making it big on the NASCAR scene given the team’s track record of bringing out champions.

With more updates coming in from several sources, JHN will most likely be the driver to fill the gap as most analysts point their finger at the 26-year-old Xfinity sensation or will this be another nightmare for Joe Gibbs? Only time will tell.

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