Truex, 43, has yet to decide whether he will return to his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team next season or retire at season’s end – it was about this time a year ago when he decided to return for 2023.
However, after earning his first series victory Monday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway – a track on which he had often dominated but never finished better than third – Truex now has a singular purpose.
Asked what else is left this year outside of winning a second series title, Truex said, “That’s it. That’s all that matters right now.
“We’ve got to keep winning. Bonus points are huge for the playoffs, and we racked them up today, so we’ve got to keep doing it.”
Monday’s win in the rain-delayed race was an important one for Truex for several reasons.
Not only was he finally able to capitalize on his recent string of good runs at the track – he’s now led 1,022 laps in its last 10 races – but he it’s where the native of Mayetta, N.J., first got his real taste of NASCAR racing from the grandstands.
“I sat in Turn 1 with my mom. My little brother (Ryan) was drinking out of a bottle, so it was – we were young, 12, 13, maybe 14, whatever,” Martin said. “But this is the first big track I ever came to with my dad and watched and the first time I ever seen Cup cars in person and (Xfinity) cars in person.
“It’s been a special place for us. This one has been eluding me for a long, long time, so I'm just really, really happy, really thankful, and I can’t say enough about my team, man.
“They’re incredible. I’m lucky I get to drive these things.”
Re: sitting in grandstands with little brother drinking from bottle pic.twitter.com/E1yZ3B0w43
— Ryan Truex (@Ryan_Truex) July 17, 2023
Truex did have to fight through three restarts in the final 23 laps to secure the win and at one point when his JGR teammate Christopher Bell caused a wreck to bring out one of the late cautions, offered up some friendly advice over his team radio.
“We should have a company policy where if your teammate is leading don’t crash yourself,” he said at the time.
"Just stop wrecking!"
Asked to describe what he was thinking on the final restarts, Truex said, “Stop wrecking, everybody just stop wrecking! Yeah, luckily, we were able to hold them off.
“The car was just so fast. I don’t even know what to say. I’m speechless. Been after this one a long time. This one is sweet.
“I kept waiting for something stupid to happen, like always does here. We’ve led so many laps here over the years but could never lead that last one.”
