Ryan Truex

Ryan Matthew Truex Bio

Ryan Matthew Truex (born March 18, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver who has built an accomplished career across NASCAR’s national series. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. As a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, he also most recently competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for JGR.

Truex’s older brother, Martin Truex Jr., won the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series championship, placing the Truex family among the most recognized names in the sport. Ryan has carved out his own identity through consistent performances and breakthrough victories of his own, most notably securing his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win in 2023.

Early Life and Background

Ryan Matthew Truex was born in Mayetta, New Jersey, United States, and grew up immersed in a family deeply rooted in motorsports. His father, Martin Truex Sr., competed in the Busch Series, exposing Ryan to the demands and traditions of professional racing from an early age. Growing up alongside his older brother Martin Truex Jr., Ryan was surrounded by race-day environments, competitive standards, and a culture that prioritized performance from childhood.

As a young driver in New Jersey, Truex developed his skills on local short tracks before progressing to regional NASCAR-sanctioned competition. He attended Southern Regional High School while simultaneously building one of the most decorated early careers in the NASCAR regional ranks. His natural ability and dedication to the sport were evident early, as he balanced academic responsibilities with the travel and physical demands of competitive stock car racing.

Path to NASCAR

Truex made his East Series debut in 2008 at Stafford Motor Speedway, driving the No. 8 car for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. That debut season served as the foundation for one of the most impressive championship runs in series history. In 2009, as a seventeen-year-old high school student at Southern Regional High School, Truex won the NASCAR Camping World East Series Championship, finishing the eleven-race season with eight top-five finishes and claiming victories at Watkins Glen International, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, and Lime Rock Park.

Building on that momentum, Truex won his second consecutive Camping World East Series title in 2010, this time driving a Michael Waltrip-owned Toyota. Those back-to-back championships established him as one of the most promising young talents in the NASCAR developmental pipeline and opened doors to national series opportunities. His transition from regional stardom to national competition began with a NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Gateway International Raceway on July 17, 2010, setting the stage for a lengthy career at NASCAR’s highest levels.

Ryan Matthew Truex Career

Early Career (2008–2012)

Ryan Truex’s professional racing career officially began in 2008 with his East Series debut at Stafford Motor Speedway for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. His 2009 season was historic: he captured the NASCAR Camping World East Series Championship at just seventeen years old while still attending Southern Regional High School, posting eight top-five finishes and three race wins across the eleven-race schedule at Watkins Glen, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, and Lime Rock Park. He successfully defended his title in 2010 with a second consecutive East Series championship, driving a Michael Waltrip-owned Toyota.

During this period, Truex also began making appearances in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, debuting at Gateway International Raceway in July 2010. He intended to contend for Rookie of the Year in 2011 with Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 99, but the involvement of motocross performer Travis Pastrana and a subsequent lack of sponsorship led to his release after the STP 300. He later rejoined the series with Joe Gibbs Racing late in the 2011 season. On June 2, 2012, he drove to a career-best second-place finish at Dover International Speedway for JGR, starting from pole after winning his first career Nationwide Series pole, and leading late before being caught in lapped traffic by Joey Logano.

NASCAR Cup Series Career (2013–2014, 2025)

In February 2013, Truex announced plans to compete in the Camping World Truck Series for Turner Scott Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway while also signing with Phoenix Racing for select Sprint Cup Series events, including Richmond International Raceway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A broken collarbone delayed his Sprint Cup debut, but on August 23, 2013, he made his first Sprint Cup start in the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 51 for James Finch. Following Harry Scott Jr.’s takeover of the No. 51 team, Truex competed in additional races that season, including a start at his home track of Dover International Speedway.

In January 2014, Truex joined BK Racing for Daytona 500 testing in the No. 93 and was later assigned to the team’s No. 83 entry for the full 2014 Sprint Cup Series season. That season was interrupted in August when a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway resulted in a sprained wrist and concussion, forcing him to miss the race weekend. By September, after further disappointing results at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway, Truex was replaced in the No. 83 and confirmed he was no longer with BK Racing. Following a year without a ride in 2015, he returned to national competition through the Xfinity and Truck Series. In 2025, he returned to the NASCAR Cup Series as a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, filling in for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE at the Mexico City race, marking his first Cup Series start since 2014.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Career (2010–Present)

Truex has been a consistent presence in the NASCAR Xfinity Series throughout his career, with his most significant breakthroughs coming in recent seasons. After early part-time rides with Michael Waltrip Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Tommy Baldwin Racing, and RAB Racing, he signed with Kaulig Racing to drive their flagship No. 11 car in 2018 with sponsorship from Bar Harbor Foods, earning one top-five and eleven top-ten finishes while finishing twelfth in points after elimination in the Round of 12. When Justin Haley took over the No. 11 for 2019, Truex continued running part-time, including a second-place finish at Phoenix in his first race with JR Motorsports’ No. 8 car.

In 2022, Truex returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing on a part-time basis in the renumbered No. 18 Toyota, running five races before Auto-Owners Insurance joined him for Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he achieved a third-place finish. Moving to the No. 19 Toyota for 2023 with Sam Hunt Racing, Truex finished second at Phoenix Raceway to teammate Sammy Smith before capturing his first career Xfinity Series win at Dover International Speedway. That Dover victory was especially meaningful: it came at the track where his brother Martin Truex Jr. earned his first career Cup Series win in 2007. Two days after Ryan’s Xfinity win, Martin won the Cup Series race at Dover, making the Truex brothers the fifth set of siblings to win on the same race weekend in NASCAR history.

Truex carried that momentum into 2024, competing part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing while alternating between the No. 19 and No. 20 Toyota entries. He scored his second career Xfinity Series win at the Daytona summer race and also drove for Sam Hunt Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In 2025, he returned to Sam Hunt Racing’s No. 24 Toyota GR Supra as a part-time driver while maintaining his reserve driver responsibilities for Joe Gibbs Racing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (2013, 2016–2017, 2020–2021)

Truex made his Camping World Truck Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in February 2013 for Turner Scott Motorsports, driving the No. 32 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. After a brief hiatus, he returned to the Truck Series in 2016 with Hattori Racing Enterprises at the season-opening race at Daytona in the No. 81 Toyota, finishing a hard-luck second on the last lap after losing drafting support from Parker Kligerman. Despite limited sponsorship that year, he rejoined HRE in 2017 in the renumbered No. 16 for the full Truck Series schedule, delivering a strong campaign with thirteen top-ten finishes, eight top-five finishes, and two pole positions to finish ninth in points. He was released by Hattori Racing Enterprises on January 4, 2018.

In 2020, Truex signed a six-race deal with Niece Motorsports beginning at Texas Motor Speedway and ultimately running nine races, with a best finish of twelfth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. He upgraded to a full-time Truck Series schedule with Niece Motorsports for the 2021 season, further establishing his credentials as a reliable and competitive driver across all three of NASCAR’s national series.

Sam Hunt Racing Era (2023–Present)

Ryan Truex’s partnership with Sam Hunt Racing has been one of the most productive stretches of his career. Driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truex achieved his first career series victory in 2023 at Dover International Speedway in the A-GAME 200, followed by his second career win in 2024 at the Daytona summer race, the Wawa 250. These victories represented the culmination of years of perseverance through part-time rides, sponsorship challenges, and team changes. As a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025, Truex brought dual experience and flexibility to JGR’s Cup and Xfinity operations while continuing his part-time Xfinity schedule with Sam Hunt Racing.

Driving Style and Strengths

Truex has demonstrated particular skill on road courses and intermediate-speed oval tracks throughout his career, with a patient and methodical race craft that rewards strong equipment and preparation. His ability to qualify near the front, evidenced by multiple pole positions across the Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series, reflects a talent for extracting maximum speed from his car during qualifying sessions. Truex has shown an aptitude for executing under pressure in high-stakes race situations, as evidenced by his Dover victories and his ability to perform competitively in both part-time and full-time roles across different organizations.

Notable Races and Milestones

Ryan Truex’s career includes several signature moments. His 2009 Camping World East Series Championship at seventeen years old remains one of the most impressive developmental achievements in recent NASCAR history. His 2012 second-place finish at Dover International Speedway, achieved while recovering from an emergency appendectomy and after winning his first career Nationwide Series pole, is widely regarded as one of the most courageous and impressive individual race performances of the modern era. The 2023 Dover Xfinity Series win stands as his career-defining victory, as it came at the same track where his brother Martin scored his first career Cup win in 2007, with both brothers achieving victories on the same race weekend.

Ryan Matthew Truex Career Wins

Ryan Truex’s career includes multiple championships at the regional level and two career wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the national level. His breakthrough victories came at Dover International Speedway in 2023 and the Daytona International Speedway summer race in 2024, both driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Beyond national series wins, Truex has accumulated a strong record of top finishes across the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series during his tenure with Hattori Racing Enterprises and Niece Motorsports.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights

Truex scored his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at the A-GAME 200 at Dover International Speedway in 2023, driving the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. The victory held special significance, as Dover International Speedway is also where his brother Martin Truex Jr. earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win in 2007. In 2024, Truex added a second career Xfinity Series victory at the Wawa 250, the summer race at Daytona International Speedway, demonstrating his ability to win on both intermediate ovals and superspeedways.

Other Wins and Performances

Before reaching the national series, Truex established himself as one of the most dominant drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, winning back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. The 2009 title featured three individual race wins at Watkins Glen International, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, and Lime Rock Park, while the 2010 championship came driving a Michael Waltrip-owned Toyota. In the Camping World Truck Series, Truex’s most notable results include a dramatic second-place finish at the 2016 season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway and a consistent 2017 campaign with thirteen top-ten finishes and two pole positions for Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Ryan Matthew Truex Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

The Truex family is one of the most accomplished racing families in NASCAR history. Ryan’s father, Martin Truex Sr., competed in the Busch Series, providing Ryan and his older brother with direct exposure to the demands of professional stock car racing from childhood. This family environment shaped both brothers’ paths into motorsports and created a supportive network that has endured throughout their careers.

Ryan’s older brother, Martin Truex Jr., stands among the most successful drivers of his generation. Martin won the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series championship and two Busch Series championships, achieving the highest level of success in the sport. The bond between the brothers has been well documented, including their historic 2023 weekend at Dover International Speedway where both Martin and Ryan won their respective races, joining an exclusive group of sibling pairs to accomplish that feat in NASCAR. Their father, Martin Truex Sr., remains a respected figure in the motorsports community, with his own Busch Series career helping to establish the foundation for both sons’ success.

Personal Life

Ryan Truex maintains a relatively private personal life. He was born and raised in Mayetta, New Jersey, and his upbringing in a racing-oriented household in southern New Jersey provided the foundation for his motorsports career. Publicly available information does not confirm marital status or children. Truex is known for his grounded demeanor and consistent work ethic, qualities that have helped him sustain a lengthy career across multiple NASCAR series despite the challenges of sponsorship and ride availability that are common in the sport.

Ryan Matthew Truex 2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season finds Ryan Truex in a versatile dual role, continuing as a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series while competing part-time in the Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing. In the NASCAR Cup Series, Truex made his first start since 2014 by filling in for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE at the Mexico City race after Hamlin’s fiancée gave birth to their third child. Truex started 36th and finished 23rd, gaining valuable competitive seat time at the Cup level after an eleven-year absence from the series.

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2025, Truex drove the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing in at least one event, making his Xfinity start at Daytona International Speedway. His presence as a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing provides added depth and flexibility to one of the most competitive organizations in NASCAR, allowing JGR to maintain continuity in the event of driver unavailability. With two career Xfinity Series wins under his belt and continued involvement at the sport’s highest levels through JGR, Truex enters 2025 with valuable experience, proven winning ability, and the respect of team owners and competitors alike.