The world was left speechless when Furniture Row Racing (FRR) won the 2017 Cup Series championship. The Colorado-based team was the most unlikely of contenders to cause such an upset.
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But the mission was accomplished thanks to two men, namely Martin Truex Jr. and his crew chief at the time, Cole Pearn. The duo was regarded as one of the most effective pairings in the field at the time. So, why did it break away?
Following the unfortunate closure of FRR in 2018, Pearn and Truex Jr. moved to Charlotte after being hired as a package by Joe Gibbs Racing. They continued their hunt in the #19 car throughout 2019.
However, the now-JGR crew chief announced at the end of the season that he’d be retiring from the sport altogether. The decision was due to Pearn’s desire to return home to Canada and build his life there.
What a freaking night?!? I am really not sure what the hell happened but I love this race team and @MartinTruex_Jr he made me a fan again tonight. #3 pic.twitter.com/C03TjeAXzf
— Cole Pearn (@colepearn) May 27, 2019
He elaborated in an interview, “I want to be there for all the things that my kids are going to experience while they are still young. I love racing and there isn’t a better place to be than Joe Gibbs Racing, but I don’t want to look back in 20 years and think about everything I missed with my wife and kids while I was gone. They are what is most important to me.”
So, in seek of a quieter life, Pearn and his wife Carrie fulfilled their longtime dream of shifting to the Great White North. Today, they operate Sentry Lodge, a backcountry alpine lodge near Rogers Pass, British Columbia. In 179 races together, Pearn and Martin Truex Jr. reached the Championship 4 four times. Their run also included 24 wins, 70 top-5s, and 110 top-10s during the duo’s tenure in NASCAR.
Pearn returns as Martin Truex Jr.’s crew chief in 2025
Truex Jr. announced earlier this year that 2024 will be his final full-time year in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, he did underline that he would be racing in crucial fixtures sporadically. Not many expected that to be as early as the 2025 Daytona 500.
The veteran made the announcement on Wednesday and revealed that he would reunite with Pearn for the effort. “We’re bringing him off the mountains, it’s going to be awesome,” he quipped. The entry is expected to be a joint effort from Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing.
Speculations point to him sporting either the #56 or the #78 next year. However, Truex Jr. himself is unsure of which way he will go. The latter would complete a circle for it was the number with which he won the 2017 championship.
Meanwhile, Pearn’s most recent appearance in a competitive race shop was when he worked as a chief engineer for Conor Daly during the 2020 Indianapolis 500.
