After two years of part-time competition, Ryan Truex is going full-time NASCAR racing once again. On Tuesday, Niece Motorsports announced Truex will run the full 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season in their #40 Chevrolet Silverado. He had contested a nine-race schedule for the team in 2020.
“Last season was really a learning year for me with this team,” Truex stated. “I feel like we learned a ton every week. We adjusted to working with no track time prior to racing, and I feel like we made our equipment better throughout the course of the year. I am excited about the continuity we will be able to build, competing week in and week out. I’m thankful to Marquis Spas for their support this season and as we move into next season.”
Truex, the younger brother of Cup Series driver Martin, last ran a full national series schedule in 2018 when he finished twelfth in the Xfinity Series standings. The year before saw his lone full-time Truck season as he finished ninth in points with Hattori Racing Enterprises, scoring thirteen top tens and eight top fives. In 2020, he returned to the Trucks after a two-year absence when he ran nine races for Niece; his best finish was twelfth at Las Vegas and Kansas. Across fifty-one career Truck races since 2012, he has nienteen top tens, ten top fives, and a highest run of second on two occasions.
The 2010 champion of what is now the ARCA Menards Series East also has twenty-six Cup starts to his name in 2013 and 2014. He attempted to return to the premier series in the 2019 Daytona 500, but failed to qualify.
“We’re excited to bring Ryan full time next season,” Niece general manager Cody Efaw said. “As a team, we are really excited about how our program is shaping up for next season. We are working hard collectively to make our equipment the best it can be. We are thankful for the support of great partners like Marquis and Chevrolet. We look forward to contending for wins next year with Ryan.”
Truex is the second confirmed Niece driver for 2021 after Carson Hocevar, whose full-time slate was announced in September. Hocevar shared the #40 with Truex and six other drivers in 2020.
