Is Martin Truex Jr hanging up his helmet for good? According to the latest scoop from Sports Business Journal, it looks like Joe Gibbs Racing is already sketching out plans for life after Truex and his major sponsors, Bass Pro Shops and Auto-Owners, potentially exit NASCAR. Meanwhile, rumors are that Kroger could be mixing things up big time, is expected to be leaving JTG Daugherty Racing in a major shakeup, and might just land at Joe Gibbs Racing.

JTG Daugherty’s co-owner, Tad Geschickter, who’s tight with Kroger, is thinking about jumping ship to Joe Gibbs Racing and taking his long-standing Kroger connection with him. If that happens, it’s definitely bad news for JTG Daugherty Racing—they could end up high and dry, possibly forced to make moves they never saw coming, like selling off their stake, or maybe even the whole team or their charter, as per the speculations made by Eric Estepp in his latest YouTube video.

A NASCAR insider is hinting that big sponsorship changes could spell disaster for JTG Daugherty Racing

The talk coming from Eric Estepp is all based on what happens if Tad Geschickter heads over to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). They can’t take their charter with them because JGR’s already maxed out with four. That could lead the charter to possibly land with another Toyota team, like 23XI or Legacy Motor Club. There can also be chatter about JTG Daugherty maybe switching to Toyota. 

But if none of that pans out, they’re in a real pickle. They’ve got just one driver, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, who’s not exactly setting the track on fire in 2024. And with Kroger, which decks out the 47 car nearly every week, possibly cutting ties, what’s left for JTG Daugherty but to sell their charter?

Losing Kroger would be a massive blow, and offloading their charter could seriously shake things up. It’s a move that might just push JTG Daugherty Racing off the NASCAR map. Eric Estepp speculated, “If Tad leave JTG for JGR the JTG would effectively be gone they could sell their stake to somebody else maybe they sell the whole team they could sell that Charter.”

And considering Stewart Haas Racing is also planning to sell its charter soon, the market might end up with more charters than buyers, which could drive prices down. However, if Brad Daugherty from JTG decides to hang onto his share and maybe scout for a new business partner, this could open the door for Dale Earnhardt Jr to jump into the Cup Series.

But all this upbeat chatter—aside from the charter sale—hinges on Ricky Stenhouse Jr pulling off a strong performance this year. If he doesn’t step up, who knows? Next year, he might find himself on the hunt for a new team and new sponsors.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s performance in 2024 could be make-or-break for JTG 

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The 2010 Rookie of the Year winner, Rickey Stenhouse Jr, is off to a shaky start this year. Unlike last year, when he clinched a spot in the playoffs early by winning at Daytona and stayed in the top 16 almost all year, this season he’s only managed one top-5 finish, landing P4 at Talladega. Maybe that’ll kick-start some momentum for him.

Still, Stenhouse has been a bit sloppy on the track, and it seems like he’s missing the zip he had last year. This season’s been a letdown for both JTG and Stenhouse, who’s clearly got the chops—he’s a two-time champ of what was then called the Nationwide Series, after all. But his consistency and discipline in the Cup Series have been hit or miss. If he doesn’t shape up, JTG might consider offloading their charter and trying something new.

As for Stenhouse Jr, if JTG does ditch their charter and he loses his primary sponsor, Kroger, he’ll be in a tight spot. No charter, no team. He could end up scouting for a new team and sponsors if this year doesn’t turn around fast.