Tricon Garage, which competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will line up a Daytona 500 entry for former Cup champion Martin Truex Jr.
This is the first Cup event for the Toyota team.
Truex will also reunite with former crew chief Cole Pearn for this effort. Bass Pro will sponsor the No. 56 car. Joe Gibbs Racing will provide technical support.
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“It will be a really good deal to be able to work with Cole and have number 56 again,” Truex said in a team release. “I really appreciate everyone at Bass Pro Shops, TRICON and Toyota helping to organize this to go have fun, and I can’t think of a better time to go win the prize for Johnny Morris.”
Truex previously announced that last year would be his last full-time Cup season. He plans to compete in some events during this season but has not announced anything beyond the Daytona 500.
Truex has 34 career Cup victories and won the 2017 series championship. He won 24 of those races and this championship with Pearn as crew chief.
Truex has made 20 starts in the Daytona 500. He has never won this race. Truex lost the 2016 Daytona 500 to Denny Hamlin by 0.010 seconds.
Since the team does not have a charter, Truex will have to qualify for a spot in the Daytona 500 field.
Thursday’s announcement marks the sixth Open team to announce its intention to compete in the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 entry list will be released closer to the Feb. 16 event.
The open teams competing in the Daytona 500 are:
JR Motorsports with Justin Allgaier
Beard Motorsports with Anthony Alfredo
Experience fast motorsports with BJ McLeod
MBM Motorsports (driver to be announced after NASCAR did not endorse Mike Wallace)
NY Racing with JJ Yeley
Trackhouse Racing Project 91 with Helio Castroneves.
More open team registrations are expected. There should be four open spots for the Daytona 500. Castroneves is guaranteed at least one provisional spot in a new NASCAR rule announced this month this guarantees a starting spot for what the sanctioning body says are world-class drivers competing in a Cup race.
The Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16.
