For his final race as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver, Martin Truex Jr. will go back to the future. He will run the same Bass Pro Shops scheme that he made his debut in almost 20 years ago with his final race scheduled for this Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Even though it will be a bittersweet feeling for the 44-year-old with Joe Gibbs Racing out of championship contention, the veteran driver is determined to throw a wrench into the plans of the four drivers eyeing the crown.

Having driven for four teams in his career, Truex has plans to return in a fourth car for 23XI Racing next year, eyeing that iconic Daytona 500. But for now, he is focused on Phoenix and is eyeing his 35th career win to go out on top. In a chat with FOX Sports before heading to Martinsville, Truex seemed upbeat about his impending retirement. When asked if he felt emotional, he shrugged it off, saying he was excited and eager to soak in the last couple of races.

MTJ’s not just looking to ride off into the sunset; he wants to make some waves by playing spoiler in the championship race. When Bob Pockrass from FOX Sports asked if MTJ just wanted to have a solid race at Phoenix to close out his full-time career, Martin Truex Jr. didn’t hold back on his real ambitions.

“I’d like to spoil the championship party. You’d love to win that thing. It’s happened before. We’ve been pretty good there. And hopefully, we can find something a little bit extra and go there,” he said. Last year, we saw Ross Chastain win the race in Phoenix as Ryan Blaney finished second to claim his maiden Cup Series title.

Truex knows Phoenix isn’t unfamiliar territory for him and his team—they’ve had strong runs there in the past, and he’s hoping they can dig a little deeper to make it happen one more time. “Going out with a win would be the most amazing thing ever short of a championship, obviously, which is impossible. But just want to go have fun and enjoy the last race with the team,” Truex Jr. added.

With 34 race wins and a championship to his name, MTJ is more than capable of gate-crashing the championship parade of any of the four drivers battling it out on the weekend. Notably, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver hasn’t won a race in his farewell season and his playoff performances suggest it will be hard for him to do so at Phoenix, but never say never.

Martin Truex Jr. would have wanted his final season to have gone better. So the question stands: will he end his career on a dry streak or surprise the fans with a finals-sabotaging victory? Regardless of the outcome, it is bound to be a special occasion for him as he bids farewell after spending nearly two decades racing full-time. So will there be a grand send-off? Truex isn’t entirely sure yet.

“I don’t know. We’ve been talking about it. Maybe throw an old-school little get-together at the coach after the race or something. I don’t know. We’ll see,” he said. Prockass also asked him whether we would see extra family or extra people coming to Phoenix to cheer him for his final full-time race.

He answered, “Nothing crazy. There will be a decent amount there, but nobody out of ordinary I’d say.” For someone known for his more introverted nature, don’t expect to see him lounging around the paddock all that much after the race. In the interview with FOX Sports, Truex chuckled at the thought of sticking around after the checkered flag, admitting he’s usually “the first one out.” 

“I usually win, always win, the race to the airport,” he mentioned. Well, we think we may hang around a little longer this time, given the occasion. During the conversation, he also reflected on his 20-year career and is thankful for what he has achieved.

“Happy. Thankful. Proud. Just the things we’ve been able to do,” he said while looking back on his amazing run. Having made his Cup Series debut on Halloween, Truex Jr. raced for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Furniture Row Motorsports, and Joe Gibbs Racing. He also won back-to-back Xfinity titles in 2004-2005 driving for Chance 2 Motorsports, the precursor to JR Motorsports.

“If you would have told me after my first couple years in the Cup Series that I would win 30-some races and a championship and had three runner-ups and just be around and be a solid, front-running driver for this long, I would be very excited about that. And so I just feel like I’ve had a great career, more so than I ever thought I could accomplish or would accomplish, especially early on,” he added.

Still, this won’t be the last time we will see him race. Going by his words, he still has a desire to race, but it is being held back for one particular reason.

Martin Truex Jr. opens up on why he wants to go part-time

Securing his first Cup championship win at the age of 37, Truex Jr. has craved an ever-lasting legacy in NASCAR. His accomplishments will likely see him become part of the Hall of Fame one day with Sunday’s race being his 684th appearance. But his decision to move into part-time racing, is driven by one key factor.

“I still love racing and driving cars, just ready to not travel 40 weekends a year more than anything. That’s the only thing, just the travel and, every week, having to pick up and go again. So now I’ll be able to make a schedule, I can pick and choose when and where I go and I’m looking forward to that,” Truex said in a separate interview.

So, as we gear up for the final chapter of his full-time career, it’s clear that Martin Truex Jr. isn’t just ready to say goodbye; he’s looking to go out on a high note, with a nod to the past and an eye on what’s next.

Do you think he will be able to disrupt the finals and win his last race as a full-time driver?