Martin Truex Jr.’s younger brother, Ryan Truex, is back in the NASCAR Cup Series spotlight after his last appearance in the top series back in 2014.
This Sunday in Mexico City, NASCAR fans will see younger Truex sitting behind the wheel of the No. 11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). That car typically belongs to Denny Hamlin, who’s back home celebrating the birth of his son.
Ryan Truex Has a Fresh Shot at Redemption
This weekend’s Viva Mexico 250 marks a historic first for NASCAR’s Cup Series and a personal one for Truex. He’ll be stepping into the No. 11 JGR Toyota, filling in for Hamlin. Truex got the call late Wednesday evening, and now, he’s got one of the most high-profile seats on the grid.
Denny Hamlin will not travel to Mexico City. Ryan Truex will race the No. 11 car this weekend. https://t.co/HqBkZBozK7
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) June 12, 2025
But this isn’t just any regular fill-in ride. For Truex, it’s a shot at redemption. His last time in the Cup Series was 11 years ago, but things didn’t go as planned for him. Running with BK Racing, Truex’s stint was short-lived and not very positive. Eight DNFs and a mid-season exit left a sour taste, and even today, he’s honest about how tough that year was.
“My last time in Cup was not a fun experience,” Truex admitted in a recent interview. “It didn’t go well for me. I didn’t enjoy it. That was probably not the right move for me, career-wise, and I’ve kind of been fighting back since then. I enjoy everything I do at JGR.”
Ryan Truex admitted that he didn’t enjoy his experience racing as a Cup backmarker in 2014 and that it probably wasn’t the right career move for him. In some ways he’s been fighting to resurrect his career since.
Truex says he enjoys his role at Joe Gibbs Racing and has had a… pic.twitter.com/S2814Gdsuk
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) June 13, 2025
Now, more than a decade later, he’s back in the big league. And what better place than Mexico City, where his older brother Martin Truex Jr. made headlines nearly 20 years ago. Older brother took home a win in Mexico in 2005, back when he was competing in the Xfinity Series championship. Truex was just a kid then, not even 13.
Truex Reps the Truex Name in Mexico
Truex’s taking on the same track, willing to proudly carry the Truex name. Over the past few years, he’s won three races in the Xfinity Series with JGR. He’s also been involved in some simulator testing for them, which could prove useful on a technical road course like Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Still, results from the practice sessions yesterday weren’t exactly promising. Truex finished 36th and 35th in sessions one and two, respectively. But considering the short notice, a tricky road layout, and the pressure of filling in for one of the season’s top performers, the fact that he’s back behind the wheel in a Cup car is quite impressive.
No one’s expecting him to be up on the leader board, but for Truex, this weekend is more than just that. It’s not just about performance this weekend. It’s about enjoying the moment, proving his skills on the big stage, and maybe securing a full-time ride sometime soon.