At the start of the current season, Kevin Harvick announced he would not be racing in NASCAR beyond this season. The 2014 Cup Series champion announced he would be retiring right after Phoenix. However, with Harvick’s announcement, many began wondering if another veteran driver, Martin Truex Jr., would be calling time on his career.
Advertisement
Of course, the 2017 Cup Series champion’s retirement rumors aren’t something new, but still having the thought of losing two veteran championship-winning drivers within a single year would surely change the mood, right?
Martin Truex Jr addresses his retirement rumors
After winning his 3rd race this season, Truex Jr. recently spoke with the media and shared his thoughts regarding the ongoing rumors and his thought process behind his eventual retirement, whenever that may be. During this time, he also mentioned what would be “the ultimate thing ever” for him if he had to go out with a bang.
While speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Truex stated, “I think the ultimate thing would be to win the championship and walk off. I think we can do that this year, I think we can do that next year as well so.”
“So I don’t know. I just gotta figure out whether I’m gonna be happy sitting through rain delays for another year. And sitting in a motorhome all weekend long alone, it takes a lot to do this.”It takes a big commitment.”
🗣️ “I think the ultimate thing ever would be to win the championship and walk off. I think we can do that this year, I think we can do that next year as well.” #NASCAR
🏁 Will @MartinTruex_Jr ride into the sunset as a Cup champion or return to @JoeGibbsRacing in 2024? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/EV3DHmmVVP
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 19, 2023
“We’ve talked about it Claire, it’s not just show up at a track and drive a racecar. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, It’s a lot of work, it’s a big commitment. You gotta give it everything you have all the time and there’s no room for relaxing. I’m not sure if I wanna do that again I got a little bit more time to figure that out. But right now ima enjoy this and I’ll start thinking about that stuff again tomorrow.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes Truex Jr. should not retire this season
Truex Jr himself has not decided if he plans to end it all this year or the next, and as per Joe Gibbs, the JGR driver has been speculating about his own retirement for several years now. Although, if he decides to walk away after this season, former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. advises against the thought.
Speaking on his podcast, Junior mentioned, “I hope he races. Me and Truex, I consider us to be close pals, and man I begged Rick Hendrick to hire him when he was between drivers… If we lost Martin, we’d be losing a really cool personality and a very unique person that’s fun to pull for.”
If Truex does decide to leave, it would mean that NASCAR would lose two of its finest drivers in the modern era. But ultimately, no matter what one says, the final decision lies in Truex Jr’s hands.
