Martin Truex Jr. officially announces his retirement from NASCAR racing full-time at the end of the 2024 season. The announcement was made during a press conference at Iowa Speedway, just before the NASCAR Cup Series race on the 0.8-mile track.
Truex Jr. had been hinting at his retirement since the beginning of the Next-Gen era, but had previously signed one-year extensions. Now, Joe Gibbs Racing will need to find a suitable replacement for the No. 19 TRD Camry team, which has had consistent success since Truex Jr. joined in 2017.
Truex Jr. explained that he made the decision to retire at this point in the season because he felt it was the right time. After contemplating it for several seasons, he finally had a positive feeling in his mind that it was time to move on and try something new. He expressed gratitude for the incredible journey he has had in the series, spanning nearly two decades.
The 2024 season has not been the best for Truex Jr. While his teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have won a combined total of five races, Truex Jr. has yet to win a race and has faced numerous challenges. However, he emphasized that this difficult season is not the reason for his retirement.
Truex Jr., a future Hall of Famer, made the decision to retire not because he is no longer the fastest driver on the grid, but because he believes it is time to pass the torch. It will be interesting to see who JGR will choose to drive the No. 19 car starting in 2025.
