"He doesn't care about what anyone else thinks, he is Martin Truex Jr."- Christopher Bell on his teammate's retirement announcement 

Martin Truex Jr.'s retirement announcement might not have shocked anyone, but his career has certainly influenced several drivers, including his teammate Christopher Bell. Ahead of the Iowa Corn 350 (June 16), Bell shared his thoughts on Truex Jr. stepping away from NASCAR after the 2024 season.

While speaking to reporters from Frontstretch, Bell opened up on Truex Jr. retiring from NASCAR and hailed the 43-year-old's attitude. The 29-year-old called his teammate a "very normal person."

"He's got no ego; he has got no 'I'm better than you' attitude. You know, he's just a very normal person. He does himself and I respect the hell out of him because he is a superstar in the Cup series but he just does himself. He's not flashy, he doesn't care about what anyone else thinks, he is Martin Truex Jr., and frankly, that's who I want to be. Christopher Bell but same style." [7:34]

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson had this to say about Martin Truex Jr. (via CBS Sports):

"Martin is probably the most respected guy in the garage area. So, I was surprised when he turned left on me down the backstretch after the checkered. It's all good. I hope he doesn't have any hard feelings to me because I definitely don't towards him."

Truex's influence extends beyond just racing cleanly. He's also been a supportive teammate, often lending a hand to fellow drivers like Christopher Bell.

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When Martin Truex Jr. helped Christopher Bell at Gateway

At Gateway, after Christopher Bell had already won the initial two stages, he was trying to battle Ryan Blaney for the lead, with merely 18 laps to go. But out of the blue, his engine began failing him. Bell tried managing the situation via strategic gear shift timings, but nothing helped until Truex Jr. came to his rescue.

As #20 started dropping multiple spots, Martin Truex Jr., whose day had been undone by a flat tire, put his #19 car behind Bell’s and drove him on the straightaways. Bell was able to use the helping hand and secure a P7 finish, which could’ve easily ended up being far worse. He thanked Truex Jr. on the pit road, saying (via RACER):

“I think [Truex] probably saved us a top 10 out of the day. Martin’s a standup guy."

Not having Martin Truex Jr. on the team is going to be a big loss, not just for JGR on a financial front, but for fellow JGR drivers as well.