NASCAR Preview: Why Martin Truex Jr. Could Open His Win Account at Richmond This Week

Martin Truex Jr. is out looking for redemption early in the 2024 Cup Series season. After an incredibly strong run in 2023 that saw him be the regular season champion, he stumbled and fell in the playoffs causing a huge upset. Hoping to set things right, he has kicked off the ongoing season with 4 top-10s in the first six races.

Though his #19 Toyota Camry XSE has displayed extraordinary speed, he hasn’t got it to the victory lane yet. Truex Jr.’s teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have both won races already and fixed their spots in the playoffs. With some undue pressure on him courtesy of the same, the 2017 Cup Series champion will go to Richmond this weekend to lift some of the steam off him.

Fortunately for him, the Richmond track isn’t one he isn’t unaccustomed to. He has raced on it 35 times over his career and won thrice. All three wins of his have come in the #19 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing. Additionally, he also has nine top-5s, seventeen top-10s, and an average finish rate of 15.3.

His most recent victory at the track came in 2021 when he led 80 laps on the way to the checkered flag. Over his last ten appearances, he has finished outside the top ten just once. Come Sunday, he will be vying to collect the 35th victory of his Cup Series career.

Truex Jr. talks about his affinity for the Richmond short-track

Nostalgia will be striking the driver hard right now as he sits atop the points table. He recently spoke to the press about his likeability for the Richmond Raceway and said, “I love the track, it’s great. Been very successful there, especially lately with our Auto-Owners Insurance Camry.”

“Been lucky enough to win some races there,” he continued. “I really enjoy the track because it’s kind of unique. It’s a short track but it races like a bigger track than it is. You can really move around there the way the tires wear out and the track is really slippery. That makes it fun and a challenge and always a good race for the fans.”

Truex Jr., along with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates is among the top favorites to win the race on the coming Sunday. He is currently +600 to emerge as the winner ahead of the rest of the grid, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.