Ryan Truex

Ryan Truex Bio

Ryan Matthew Truex (born March 18, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing, while also serving as a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he drove the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE. A native of Mayetta, New Jersey, Truex is the younger brother of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., making the Truex family one of the most recognizable names in American stock car racing.

Early Life and Background

Ryan Matthew Truex was born on March 18, 1992, in Mayetta, New Jersey, where he grew up surrounded by the world of stock car racing. He is the son of former Busch Series driver Martin Truex Sr., and the younger brother of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. Coming from a family with deep roots in American motorsports, Truex was introduced to racing at a young age and quickly developed a passion for the sport.

He attended Southern Regional High School in New Jersey, balancing his education with the demands of a growing racing career. By the time he was seventeen years old, Truex had already established himself as a championship-caliber driver in the developmental touring series, demonstrating both maturity and raw talent behind the wheel. His New Jersey upbringing and family connections gave him an early entry point into the competitive world of NASCAR.

Path to NASCAR

Truex made his NASCAR East Series debut in 2008 at Stafford Motor Speedway, driving the No. 8 car for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The following year, he captured the 2009 NASCAR Camping World East Series Championship as a seventeen-year-old high school student, finishing the eleven-race season with eight top-five finishes and three wins at Watkins Glen, Thompson, and Lime Rock Park.

In 2010, Truex won his second consecutive Camping World East Series title, this time in a Michael Waltrip-owned Toyota, becoming one of the most promising young drivers in the country. Later that same year, he transitioned to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, making his debut at Gateway International Raceway on July 17, 2010, where he competed in six events. This dual series schedule marked his formal entry into NASCAR’s national ladder and set the stage for a long, winding road through the sport’s top three national divisions.

Ryan Truex Career

Early Career (2008-2011)

Truex’s early professional years were defined by his dominance in the East Series and his gradual introduction to NASCAR’s national touring divisions. After his back-to-back East Series championships in 2009 and 2010, he signed with Michael Waltrip Racing to run a partial Nationwide Series schedule in 2011 with hopes of contending for Rookie of the Year. However, motocross performer Travis Pastrana ran the No. 99 for seven races, and an appendectomy and ongoing sponsorship issues forced Truex out of the ride.

Released from Pastrana Waltrip Racing, Truex returned to the Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, running several races late in the 2011 season. He split time between Joe Gibbs Racing, Tommy Baldwin Racing, and RAB Racing in 2012, posting a career-best second-place finish at Dover International Speedway on June 2, 2012, where he won his first career Nationwide Series pole and led laps before being caught in traffic by Joey Logano.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2018-2024)

Truex signed with Kaulig Racing to drive the No. 11 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the 2018 season with sponsorship from Bar Harbor Foods. He posted one top-five and eleven top-ten finishes, finishing twelfth in points and being eliminated after the Round of 12. After losing his ride when Justin Haley was announced as his successor, Truex bounced between teams, including a part-time stint with JR Motorsports in 2019, where he tied his career-best finish of second at Phoenix Raceway.

After returning to Joe Gibbs Racing on a part-time basis in 2022, Truex earned his first career Xfinity Series victory at the 2023 A-GAME 200 at Dover Motor Speedway, the very site where his brother Martin had scored his first Cup Series win in 2007. Martin won the Cup race two days later, making them the fifth set of brothers to win on the same race weekend. In 2024, Truex added two more wins, taking the No. 20 to victory lane at Dover and winning the Wawa 250 at Daytona, cementing his reputation as a proven winner in NASCAR’s second-tier series.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Sam Hunt Racing Era (2022-Present)

Since 2022, Truex has split his time between Joe Gibbs Racing and Sam Hunt Racing in the Xfinity Series, running part-time schedules that have allowed him to compete for wins while serving as a development and reserve driver. In 2025, he transitioned into a formal reserve role for JGR’s Cup and Xfinity teams, filling in for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota at the Viva México 250 in Mexico City after Hamlin’s fiancée gave birth to their third child. That Mexico City start was his first Cup Series race since 2014, and he started 36th before finishing 23rd.

In the Xfinity Series in 2025, Truex made two starts at Daytona and Dover, driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. His relationship with JGR remains strong, and he continues to be viewed as a trusted and versatile team asset across both national series. His 2024 campaign, in which he scored multiple wins, marked the most productive stretch of his national series career to date.

Driving Style and Strengths

Truex is widely regarded as a smooth, methodical driver who excels at intermediate tracks and intermediate-to-long runs, where tire conservation and consistency are critical. His strong road course results, including his early East Series wins at Watkins Glen and Lime Rock Park, suggest an above-average comfort level on technical circuits. Teammates and crew chiefs have praised his communication skills and his ability to provide detailed, actionable feedback during a race, traits that have made him an effective reserve and development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Notable Races and Milestones

Truex’s signature moments include his first Xfinity Series win at Dover in 2023, which he shared with his brother Martin’s Cup win the same weekend, and his 2024 victories at Dover and Daytona in the No. 20 Toyota. His first career pole came at Dover in 2012, and his career-best Cup Series finish remains a top result from his 2014 season. He has also posted top-ten finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he ran a full schedule in 2017 with thirteen top-tens for Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Ryan Truex Career Wins

Ryan Truex has accumulated a versatile and well-rounded win résumé across multiple NASCAR divisions. He is a two-time NASCAR East Series champion (2009 and 2010) and a multi-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with victories at Dover and Daytona. He has also posted top-ten finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series East, where he remains one of the most successful drivers in the series’ modern history.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truex has three career wins, thirty-six top-ten finishes, and one pole. His first win came at the 2023 A-GAME 200 at Dover, and his most recent win came at the 2024 Wawa 250 at Daytona. His best points finish in the series remains twelfth, recorded in 2018 with Kaulig Racing.

Other Wins and Performances

In the ARCA Menards Series East, Truex is a two-time champion with five career wins, seventeen top-ten finishes, and three poles. He captured his first East Series win at Watkins Glen in 2009 and his last in 2010 at New Hampshire. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he has zero wins but twenty-two top-ten finishes and two poles, with a career-best ninth-place points finish in 2017 for Hattori Racing Enterprises.

Ryan Truex Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Ryan Truex comes from one of the most prominent racing families in American stock car history. His father, Martin Truex Sr., was a former Busch Series driver, and his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., is the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion and a two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion. The Truex family’s influence on the sport spans multiple generations, and Ryan has often spoken about the inspiration and guidance he has received from his father and brother throughout his career.

Personal Life

Truex grew up in Mayetta, New Jersey, and attended Southern Regional High School while pursuing his racing career. He remains closely tied to his New Jersey roots and has continued to compete at tracks where his brother has also found success, most notably Dover International Speedway. Public details about his marital status and family life are limited, and he tends to keep his personal affairs private.

2025 Season Performance

Truex’s 2025 season has been defined by his role as a reserve driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. He made his first Cup Series start since 2014 at the Viva México 250 in Mexico City, filling in for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota and finishing 23rd after starting 36th. The fill-in opportunity highlighted his value to JGR as a trusted, last-minute substitute capable of stepping into top-tier equipment.

In the Xfinity Series, Truex made two starts for Sam Hunt Racing in 2025, running the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra at Daytona and Dover. While his schedule remained limited, his consistent presence in competitive equipment kept him in position to compete for top finishes whenever he was called upon. He finished the 2025 Xfinity season 46th in points, reflecting the part-time nature of his campaign.

Truex finished 53rd in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series standings. With a multi-win 2024 Xfinity season still fresh and a renewed reserve role with Joe Gibbs Racing, his outlook remains strong, and he is widely expected to continue splitting time between the Xfinity Series and reserve duties in 2026.