Martin Truex Jr., Cole Pearn to reunite for 2025 Daytona 500
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. is reuniting with crew chief Cole Pearn to attempt to make the 2025 Daytona 500 with TRICON Garage.
Truex will wheel a No. 56 Toyota Camry XSE with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops. The entry – a first in the NASCAR Cup Series for TRICON – will receive technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing.
The entry will also mark the first time Truex and Pearn will work together since 2019. From 2015 to 2019, they racked up 24 wins and the 2017 championship in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“It’s going to be a really cool deal to be able to work with Cole and have the number 56 again,” said Truex Jr. “I really appreciate everyone at Bass Pro Shops, TRICON and Toyota helping put this together to go have some fun, and I can’t think of a better time to go win the thing for Johnny Morris.”
Since its inception in 2023, TRICON Garage has fielded entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The organization touts the Daytona 500 as “the logical next step” for them to “grow and plan for the future.”
“This opportunity is a testament to the dedication of our entire organization and our partners at Toyota. Having raced against Martin for many years, I can confidently say there’s no stronger competitor I’d want behind the wheel for our first Cup Series entry at the sport’s most prestigious race,” said David Gilliland, a TRICON Garage partner.
Gilliland won the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2007. Two years later, Truex Jr. earned the pole for 500.
A pole this year would mean a free pass around a stacked slate of open entries.
2025 Daytona 500 open entries so far
- Justin Allgaier – No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
- JJ Yeley – No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
- Martin Truex Jr. – No. 56 TRICON Garage Toyota
- Anthony Alfredo – No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
- BJ McLeod – No. 78 independent Chevrolet entry
- Jimmie Johnson – No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
- Helio Castroneves – No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Castroneves is locked into the field with the new Open Exemption Provisional. If he has to take the OEP, the race will feature 41 cars. That would let four other open entries into the field.
If Castroneves races his way into the field, either through a fast enough qualifying time or finishing well enough in his Duel, the race will feature 40 cars. That would let three open entries into the field.
Still, there are more open entries yet to announce their plans for the 2025 Daytona 500, including the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing and No. 66 MBM Motorsports entries.
MBM had Mike Wallace as their driver until NASCAR didn’t approve his entry for the Daytona 500. RWR hasn’t confirmed if the No. 15 will attempt to make the 500.
It is unknown when those teams will announce their plans.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com