UPDATE 2: Martin Truex Jr. has become accustomed to anticipating the speculation about his future in the NASCAR Cup Series. Saturday, the 43-year-old veteran gave a pre-emptive answer before the question could even be asked.
He’s also found Victory Lane three times this year, and after the most recent trip — at New Hampshire Motor Speedway — he noted he was “bad at making big decisions” both about his racing career as the driver of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota and a big-ticket purchase of a saltwater boat.
Saturday at Richmond, Truex said he’d bought the boat, a mid-size vessel that’s helped him with his recent run on catching tuna. The other resolution remains undetermined.
“I’m not sure, honestly. I’ll figure it out pretty soon,” Truex said, adding later about the gravity of the decision: “It’s not an easy one, I can promise you that. Yeah, it’s a tough one to figure out.”
Truex weighed this decision heavily last year as well, announcing on June 24 that he would return to the No. 19 team for the 2023 season, saying, “The competitive side of me said I’m not done, and I’m going to keep fighting, so here we are.” Truex has acknowledged that his timetable is growing shorter by the week, and he also noted after his New Hampshire victory that this year’s success has not made a huge difference in his decision.
— NASCAR.com —
UPDATE 7-17-2023: Following his win Monday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martin Truex, Jr. was again asked about his future:
Q. Joe was just in here, Joe Gibbs, and he says you’re having fun, you’re having a great year, you’re winning races. Why wouldn’t you come back next year?
MARTIN TRUEX JR: Of course he says that.
Q. That is the question; why wouldn’t you come back?
MARTIN TRUEX JR: I don’t know. I’m not sure. You know, I was talking out there to Claire, and I was like, this sport isn’t exactly what it appears to be sometimes. It takes a big commitment.
My team is amazing. They deserve the very best driver, the guy that wants it more than anyone else, and I’ve been that guy. I want to make sure that if I come back, I’m willing to do that. It takes a lot. It’s not just show up at the track, drive the car, go home. It takes a lot. It takes a lot of commitment. It’s a lot of travel. A lot of time missing things with family and friends and all those things that I’ve done for 25 years. Do I want to keep doing it and am I willing to sacrifice all those things again for my team?
So that’s just what I’m thinking about. I don’t know that running good and winning makes a difference. It would be pretty awesome to win the championship and walk off into the sunset.
I just don’t really know. I don’t really know. I’m bad at making big decisions. I told somebody out there, I was like, I’ve been looking at salt water boats for five, six years. Love to fish, spend a lot of time on the water, and I haven’t pulled the trigger on a boat because I just can’t make up my mind on what I want. I’m just bad at big decisions.
I finally am about to buy one maybe this week. I wish I had more time to figure out what I want to do next year, but I don’t, so I’ll know soon and you’ll know soon.
— NASCAR —
ORIGINAL POST 7-16-2023: Asked about his plans for next season by Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, #19-Martin Truex, Jr’s deflected the question Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Truex returned to Joe Gibbs Racing this season on a one year contract.
Toyota’s David Wilson said last month that he was optimistic Truex would return for another year.
Martin Truex Jr. said “next question” when asked about next year. So no answer this week.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 15, 2023