“Never spoke more than 20 words”: Chase Elliott on his relationship with Martin Truex Jr. 

Chase Elliott has outlined his relationship with Martin Truex Jr. after the latter announced his retirement. The Hendrick Motorsports driver claimed that he did not have much interactions with the 43-year-old.

After years of speculations surrounding his retirement from NASCAR, Martin Truex Jr. broke the news during a presser at the Iowa Speedway. The JGR driver revealed parting ways with full-time Cup Series racing but said that he would mark his presence at the North Carolina-based outfit's garage, serving a different role.

Amid Truex Jr.'s retirement news, several drivers including his teammates- Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs opened up about their relationship with him. Chase Elliott was asked if he could recall any interaction with Martin Truex Jr. over the years.

The #9 Chevy driver didn't have much to say about it and that was why he liked the 43-year-old.

"No and honestly that's why I like him [Truex Jr.] and to be honest I wish we had more of that," Elliott told Frontstretch (0.16).

Elliott also said that he and Truex Jr. got along well and that the two never spoke more than 20 words.

"I've always had a lot of respect for Martin and we've always gotten along well. Probably never spoke more than 20 words to each other you know in my nine years. We don't have to, I think I feel like there's just always been mutual respect there and that's the kind of relationship I'm all about, the HMS driver replied. (0.35)

"From my end, I respect him"- Chase Elliott after a late-race wreck with Martin Truex Jr. at Darlington

Three years back in 2020, a battle for the lead at the Playoffs opener race ensued between Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. With just 13 laps to go until the checkered flag dropped and the HMS driver leading the way, the JGR driver's bid to overtake took both the drivers out of contention.

While Truex Jr. swept both stage wins and led a race-high 196 of 367 laps, Elliott led the field for 114 laps and was nearing the race win at Darlington Raceway. However, when the #19 Toyota used the inside line to swerve past the #9 Chevy, the former's rear clipped the latter's front and both slammed into the outside wall.

Though the cars didn't lose much momentum during the incident, it surely degraded their pace. As a result, Truex Jr. finished 22nd and Elliott placed his Chevy in 20th place.

A couple of days after the Darlington setback, Chase Elliott outlined the incident while highlighting his respect for Martin Truex Jr.

"I feel like Martin and I both have a lot of respect for each other. I know from my end, I respect him, he's a champion. I felt we had some really hard battles together so I would hope that's mutual and if it's not, I still have respect for him either way. I do think that the situation was a racing incident, I think we were both battling really hard for the win," Elliott told FOX.

Chase Elliott is currently placed second in the Cup Series standings with 547 points while the JGR driver is 39 points behind him in fifth place.