Martin Truex Jr.’s brother shares his excitement as he replaces Denny Hamlin ahead of first Cup race in a decade
Ryan Truex, the younger brother of former NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr., gears up for his first Cup race in nearly a decade. Subbing for Denny Hamlin, Truex will return to the big stage in Mexico City, driving the #11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
After his last Cup start in 2014, Ryan Truex drove for several Xfinity Series teams before becoming JGR's primary reserve driver this year. This weekend, he is replacing Hamlin, who skipped the inaugural Viva Mexico 250 to be with his family after the birth of his third child.
The substitute driver may not have driven the Next-Gen car in an actual race, but he has experience with testing and sim. In a pre-race press conference, the 33-year-old said (via Steven Taranto on X):
“The Cup cars back then were so different than they are right now, and I've got a little bit of experience with the Gen-7 car with some testing and things. Obviously, doing the sim stuff every single week a lot.” [0:36]
Regardless, the younger Truex sibling is up for the challenge, as he added:
“I feel like I've run a million laps already in the past month. Definitely feel like I'm ready.”
“I think it should go well. Hope it goes well, and then we'll see what happens,” he concluded. [1:16]
Ryan Truex will return to the Cup Series field at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday. He will race against 36 other drivers, including the sole open car driver, Katherine Legge, who will drive the #78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet.
His older brother, Martin Truex Jr., retired from full-time NASCAR competition after the 2024 season. Chase Briscoe replaced Martin Truex Jr. in the #19 Toyota after the former spent four years with the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing.
“I'm glad he could throw that at me”: Ryan Truex on Martin Truex Jr.'s pressure-inducing advice for Mexico City race
In the same press conference, Ryan Truex told the media what his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., had to say about his return to the NASCAR Cup Series. The now-retired Joe Gibbs Racing driver reminded him that the Truexs are one-for-one in Mexico, adding pressure not to spoil the record.
In 2005, Martin Truex Jr. won the Telcel Motorola 200 (Xfinity Series) in Mexico City, beating Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards to the checkered flag. He graduated to the Cup Series the following year with the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) team.
Recalling his conversation with his older brother, Ryan Truex said (via Bob Pockrass on X):
“When I found out and he said, ‘You know, the Truexs are one-for-one in Mexico.’ So, no pressure. I'm glad he could throw that at me. He's been good for advice.”
After the returning NASCAR driver asked Martin Truex Jr. for advice about the infamous elevation at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, he shared a hilarious statement with the media.
“Nobody really knows what to expect with the elevation because none of us have done a race at this elevation before. I did talk to Martin about it. He said it didn't bother him... and I don't think he's ever been in the same room as a treadmill,” he said. [0:36]
The elevation of over 7,300 feet will challenge the competing teams throughout the 100-lap road course slugfest. The high altitude thins out the air, which can affect the drivers' breathing and the racecars' performance.