“Great Driver, Great Friend”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. praises retiring Martin Truex Jr.

Martin Truex Jr. decided to announce his retirement without any big event—no big press conference, no grand farewell tour, not even a celebratory parade. He chose a plain-old media session before the Iowa race to break the news. Taking a moment to give a bow, Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter) on the occasion.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a bunch of fond memories from their days together at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. [DEI]. He posted a heartfelt caption on X, reflecting on the times they shared, adding a personal touch to the announcement.

"Great driver. Dependable. Always locked in. A great friend. It’s been a blast to watch him achieve all he has."

It all began in 2000 when Martin Truex Jr. moved south and initially rented a house from Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Mooresville, North Carolina. Before long, he bought his place there. His Cup Series debut came in 2004 with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI), driving the No. 1 car at Atlanta Motor Speedway where he started P33 and finished P37.

Over the years, their friendship blossomed. With Dale Jr. as his boss, Truex Jr. clinched back-to-back Xfinity Series championships. Needless to say, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is bound to feel a pang seeing someone else behind the wheel of the #19 car next season.

But Martin Truex Jr.'s retirement wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; he took his time mulling it over, which is probably why he even managed to make a joke about it when he made the announcement.

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Martin Truex Jr. makes a joke announcing his retirement

Martin Truex Jr has been on the fence about retiring from NASCAR for quite some time, which explains his recent pattern of one-year contracts. Each summer for the last few seasons, he confirmed that he was staying on for another year. But recently, with The Athletic already breaking the news about his impending retirement, his announcement didn't catch anyone off guard. Perhaps that is the reason why he decided to start things off with a bit of humor.

"Obviously, I guess the news has been on the internet all week, so you guys already know. I don’t even know why I am here. I’m just here to let you all know I will not be back full-time next year. It’s been incredible. It’s been a hell of a ride. I’m excited about the future. I’m not really sure what that looks like yet, but I feel good about my decision," Truex Jr. said in his press conference, as quoted by Forbes.

However, as of now, he seems to be uncertain about his exact plans for the future. Whether in the Xfinity Series or elsewhere, he's clear that he's not hanging up his helmet just yet. He could be open to the occasional Xfinity races or maybe racing in the Daytona 500 again—a victory that has eluded him so far.

Meanwhile, his boss, Joe Gibbs, confirmed that Martin Truex Jr. will serve as an ambassador for the team next year, ensuring his continued presence in the sport in some capacity.