Truex will race for Gibbs in 2019
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. and his crew chief will move to Joe Gibbs Racing next season to remain in the Toyota organization after their race team folds in two weeks.
Truex won his first Cup Series title last year driving for Furniture Row Racing. Barney Visser had funded the team out of pocket for most of its existence but received relief help the past few seasons from sponsorship.
When the primary sponsor of the No. 78 decided to leave NASCAR and Visser couldn’t find a replacement, the owner decided he would close after this season because he found it too expensive to field a championship-contending team without outside funding.
Truex will replace Daniel Suarez as driver of the No. 19 Camry. Sponsorship was not announced.
“Anytime you have an opportunity to bring two people of this caliber into your organization, it’s certainly an exciting time,” team owner Joe Gibbs said. “They obviously have developed a chemistry that has led to tremendous success, including a championship. We’ve gotten
to know them well over the past few years through the alliance and having been part of the Toyota family. They both make us stronger as an organization.”
Truex has 19 victories at NASCAR’s highest level, including a career-high eight victories in 2017. A member of the so-called Big Three that has dominated the Cup Series this year, Truex has four victories and goes to ISM Raceway near Phoenix this weekend in contention for a championship-eligible berth. Only one of the three slots for the Nov. 18 season finale has been filled, and Truex is above the cutline to qualify for Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot at repeating as champion.
“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to join Joe Gibbs Racing,” he said. “Obviously to be able to make this transition and still be able to work alongside Cole (Pearn) is something that was very important to me. There is also a real comfort level working with the JGR team, and I wanted to stay in the Toyota family.
“We still have big goals for the remainder of this season, but it’s nice to know what we will be doing in 2019.”
Pearn was promoted from lead engineer to crew chief for the No. 78 car in 2015 and has guided the team to 17 wins.
Suarez, meanwhile, is looking for a new job. The 26-year-old Mexican driver won the 2016 Xfinity Series title driving for JGR and two months later was unexpectedly promoted to the Cup Series when Carl Edwards walked away from NASCAR.
Suarez has 21 top-10 finishes and one pole position in two seasons with JGR. He’s currently ranked 20th in the standings, the same place he finished last year.