Martin Truex Jr. will return to the No. 19 car for Joe Gibbs Racing during the 2023 season after seriously considering retirement last year. Truex finished the 2022 season with zero wins, four top-5 finishes, 15 top-10 finishes, and a 14.9 average finishing position.
This was by far the 42-year-old driver’s worst year as a member of Joe Gibbs Racing. The statistics above were the lowest totals across the board since the 2014 season when he was in the No. 78 car for Furniture Row Racing.
With the second season of the NextGen car coming soon, Truex will have to make a decision on whether to return at some point in 2023. Let’s dive into the latest on Truex’s potential retirement.
Related: Martin Truex Jr. could retire after the 2023 season
Martin Truex Jr. dishes out notable update on potential retirement ahead of the 2023 season
Truex will look to redeem himself after missing the playoffs during the 2022 season due to 16 different winners claiming the spots. As mentioned above, the driver of the No. 19 car did not win for the first time since 2014.
After considering retirement last year, the 42-year-old driver spoke to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass about his status for the 2024 season.
“It’s going to be like last year. I’ll let you know in, like, September. It’s not even off the radar right now…not even on the radar.”
Martin Truex Jr. on whether he will return to NASCAR in 2024
It would not be surprising to see Truex hang up the steering wheel after the season’s final race at Phoenix Raceway. As a driver begins to grow older, family time and their personal life become bigger priorities.
Last year was poor for Truex’s standards and there has to be a fire inside of him to prove that he still has what it takes to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship. After all, his teammate Christopher Bell was one green flag run away from winning one a few months ago.
If the driver of the No. 19 car decides to step away, he would be one of two Cup Series champions to retire at the end of the year. Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick announced on early Thursday morning that he would retire at the end of the 2023 season.
A new age of NASCAR is coming sooner rather than later as some of the sport’s best drivers are nearing retirement. However, it is good to see a majority of these drivers going out on their own terms.