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NASCAR legend Martin Truex Jr. has announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the season. The 43-year-old veteran had penned a one-year renewal with Joe Gibbs Racing last season.
Following an illustrious two-decade-long Cup Series career that comprised over 650 races, 34 race wins, and a Cup championship in 2017, Martin Truex Jr. has confirmed that he will not return full-time to NASCAR's premier series the next season. Truex has been piloting Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 19 Toyota Camry since 2019.
Truex's career began with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, where he debuted as a full-time Cup driver in 2006. He secured his first career victory a year later at Dover Motor Speedway, his home track. Before his Cup Series success, the New Jersey native made a name for himself in the Xfinity Series, winning back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005 for Chance2 Motorsports.
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In recent years, Martin Truex Jr. became the oldest active driver in NASCAR following Kevin Harvick's retirement at the end of last season.
What did Martin Truex Jr. say when announcing his retirement decision?
Reflecting on his remarkable journey in the sport, Truex Jr. announced prior to the Cup race at Iowa Speedway (via NBC):
"I will not be back full-time next year. Its been a hell of a ride."
JGR owner Joe Gibbs expressed his desire to retain Truex Jr.. He said:
"I did everything I could to keep it going."
However, Truex Jr. felt it was the right moment to step away.
"I thought about it a lot the past few seasons. Waited for that feeling in my mind to be positive," he added.
Martin Truex Jr.'s career is marked by several highs, particularly his dominant stretch from 2017 to 2019. During this period, he captured 19 wins out of 108 points races (17.5%) with Cole Pearn as his crew chief at Furniture Row Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing. His 2017 championship win was a crowning achievement, with subsequent second-place finishes in 2018 and 2019.
Truex Jr. was last season's regular season champion before eventually missing out on the Cup title. The 43-year-old driver, while yet to win a race, has continued to prove his mettle in the ongoing season. After 16 races, he finds himself at fifth position in the Cup Series standings with 508 points to his name.
