Did You Know NASCAR Driver Martin Truex Jr Has His Own Private Jet Company?

Over the years, business jets have become very much part and parcel of the motorsports lifestyle. However, while plenty of modern racing drivers use these exclusive aircraft, few have made the effort to start their own company in the field. One notable example of this is NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr.

When and why?

43-year-old Truex has been racing in NASCAR’s top division since 2004, winning the Cup Series championship once in the process, and his involvement in private aviation also goes back a long way. Indeed, according to AIN Online, the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver first got his hands on a Beechcraft 400XP back in 2014. According to Corporate Jet Investor, Truex stated at the time of the purchase that:

“I have evaluated many aircraft that have the speed and efficiency to get me to 36 NASCAR events annually. However, only the 400XP provides me and my team with the needed range, cabin volume, operating costs and support along the way that I expect from an aircraft partner. The overall value proposition of this aircraft made this a very simple decision for our team.”

Initially, the management of this aircraft was looked after by a separate company. However, as Speed Sport reported at the time, Truex brought the operations of the plane in-house in 2019 with the formation of MTJ Aviation. This carrier functions as an ARGUS Gold and WYVERN registered Part 135 aviation operator.

Exclusive aircraft

As explained by MTJ Aviation, the company now has two examples of the Beechcraft 400XP at its disposal, registered as N477GJ and, rather aptly, N560MT. A quick look at tracking data made available by Flightradar24 suggests that these aircraft are based out of Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In terms of the performance of these aircraft, MTJ Aviation, whose industry partners include Garmin and Textron, states that they have a top speed of 505 mph (813 km/h or 439 knots). Meanwhile, when it comes to range, these exclusive eight-seaters can fly for distances of up to 1,704 miles (2,742 km or 1,481 nautical miles).

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Photo: Grindstone Media Group | Shutterstock

Given the company’s growing fleet, it functions as more than merely a way of transporting its lightning-fast owner from race to race. Indeed, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic also saw it spread its wings into the organ transportation sector, and it continues to advertise 24/7 medical flight services to this day.

Another racing driver founded three airlines

Long before Truex’s venture into the private aviation sector, legendary Austrian Formula One driver Niki Lauda became known for his off-track escapades in the airline industry. The three-time world champion ended up founding a trio of airlines over the years, one of which remains active…