Martin Truex Jr. recently brought a long chapter of his career to a close, fully announcing his retirement from full-time NASCAR racing during the season finale in Phoenix. A beloved figure in the sport, Truex has made his mark as a veteran driver, perhaps most for his 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Championship win.
His decision to retire has resonated deeply within the NASCAR community, with a standing ovation from fans, competitors, and crew members at the Phoenix race. Despite the end of his full-time driving days, Truex holds optimism and excitement for the future. He reflected on this move not with sadness, but as a celebratory moment.
The retirement announcement, originally made on June 14 this year, continued last weekend as he raced his last race.
"Still not sad. Everybody wants me to be sad [and] I'm happy. I'm celebrating. I've got a lot to be thankful for, a lot to be proud of," he said via RACER.
Martin Truex Jr.'s career is storied. Over the years, he not only claimed 34 Cup Series race wins but also became synonymous with Toyota, securing 33 wins for the manufacturer. Truex's driving journey saw him work with several prominent teams, including Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Furniture Row, and most recently Joe Gibbs Racing, which he joined in 2019. His time with JGR, in particular, is noteworthy for the impact it had on shaping his legacy in NASCAR.
The race at Phoenix didn't offer the perfect send-off for Truex. The race day started strong with Truex securing pole position.
"I'm going to enjoy some time off here and do the banquet and all that fun stuff, and it's going to be fun to come back in a different role and race for fun."
"Hopefully I'll be able to have fun. It's so hard to have fun when you take it this seriously," he said.
Technical difficulties plagued the race, and James Small, Truex's crew chief, touched on the challenges faced that day.
"It started off well. We contended to win the first stage, and then we lost a lot of track positions there, and everything got worse. Through the middle of the second stage we started to have some brake issues and that just created handling problems. ... It started off so promising – yesterday was great. It's a frustrating way to end. It kind of sums up our season the way it unraveled there."
Truex's plans to continue competing on a part-time basis, eyeing events like the 2025 Daytona 500.
"I'm going to enjoy some time off here and do the banquet and all that fun stuff, and it's going to be fun to come back in a different role and race for fun."
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