Truex , 43, has mulled retirement from Cup the last several years which has resulted in him signing one-year renewal with Joe Gibbs Racing and putting off a decision each year as long as possible.
On Friday at Iowa Speedway, Truex made his decision official – he will step away from JGR’s No. 19 Toyota team at the end of the year regardless of how his season plays out.
“I guess, uh, the news has been on the Internet all week, so you guys already know and I don’t know what I’m here,” a visibly nervous Truex said at the start of his news conference. “I’m just here to let you all know I will not be back full-time next year.
“I’m excited about the rest of the year, obviously. It means the world to me to see Johnny Morris (owner of sponsor Bass Pro Shops) here. He’s been a huge supporter of mine. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of the things I’ve accomplished without him.
“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.”
Still, Truex said it had been “a true honor” to work with all the crew members and team owners over his career.
“I won’t be gone. I’ll be around still,” Truex insisted. “We’re going to do some stuff together and have some fun.”
Truex remains winless so far in 2024 but is fifth in the Cup standings and well positioned for another run in the playoffs.
The veteran driver joined JGR at the start of the 2019 season. He has 34 victories at the Cup level – 32 have come since the 2015 season – and he finished worse than fifth in points just three times in the last 10 seasons. He earned his only Cup championship with Furniture Row Racing in 2017.
“Obviously, we’ve had a tremendous respect for Martin,” JGR owner Joe Gibbs said. “I did everything I could to keep it going. I think we have two 40-year-olds at the top of their game right now.”
Truex’s Cup career has spanned nearly 20 years with 673 starts. His first Cup win came in 2007 at his home track of Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. He has amassed wins in some of NASCAR’s biggest races, including a pair of Coca-Cola 600 victories, a win in the Southern 500 and owns five road course wins, including four at Sonoma.
Truex won back-to-back Xfinity Series titles in 2004-05 for Chance 2 Motorsports and went to Cup to drive for Dale Earnhardt Inc., which eventually merged with Chip Ganassi Racing.
He later drove for Michael Waltrip Racing before joining Furniture Row in 2014. The team shut down after 2018, and Truex has driven for JGR since.
He has three starts in the Truck Series with one win, five wins in what is now ARCA East and owns a pair of wins in the now-defunct International Race of Champions.
Toyota statement
“Martin has been a fierce competitor, champion and loyal friend to Toyota and TRD for over a decade. He is the only NASCAR driver to win Cup races in a Toyota Camry across three different race team organizations – a remarkable achievement. His genuine personality and consistent performance have made him a fan favorite and someone who will truly be missed on-track each week. Martin’s racing achievements highlight just how talented of a racer he is, and his outstanding work off-track with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation showcases the incredible person he continues to be. Martin is a future Hall of Famer, and someone we will always be honored to call a part of the Team Toyota family.”
