Joe Gibbs is in a dilemma as his star racer keeps contemplating retirement. The 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr has been thinking about retiring for quite some time, but Joe Gibbs isn’t having any of it. With the exceptional season that he has been having, Coach Gibbs as well as NASCAR enthusiasts are quite inclined to see him for at least one more season. This is the second season in a row that Truex Jr has publicly confessed to contemplating retirement.
However, in the absence of any definitive news, insiders, experts, and fans are dreading whether Truex Jr would make the announcement at the end of the season.
NASCAR insider predicts the end of Martin Truex Jr’s career
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Talking on this subject in the latest episode of the NASCAR on NBC podcast, podcast host Nate Ryan mentioned that there is a possibility that the 43-year-old might want to walk away from racing on a permanent basis. The latest race at Richmond was all about implementing the correct strategy. However, Martin Truex Jr could not even race in the car that he felt was the most productive. Despite having a Top 10 finish, not being at the top at races might propel the JGR driver’s decision to retire. Ryan said,
“Knowing that we’re still waiting to hear on whether he’s gonna drive beyond 2023. It sounds like from what I heard this past weekend that this is something he’s wrestling with. Like, it’s not a given even though he’s had this resurgent this year, it’s not a given that he’s necessarily gonna come back. Do you think that plays into it all? When he has a day like this and he’s mulling over whether he wants to keep doing this and devoting so much of his life to this.
“Maybe he’s thinking, ‘Uh, maybe I just wanna walk away from this!’”
NASCAR insider finds Truex Jr’s retirement plea justified
NASCAR drivers are known to want to retire as soon as they start losing out on their form. And, Truex Jr is no different. Although Joe Gibbs feels that he can perform equally well for one more season, NASCAR insiders feel differently. Pit reporter for NBC Sports Kim Coon feels that Truex Jr wouldn’t be wrong if he did decide to retire. She added,
“Every driver will tell you that when you’re having the days and you’re winning it’s fun, and when you’re not it’s hard. I don’t know that people give enough credit to the drivers sometimes. They show up, they practice for 20 minutes, and they go race, but the actual work that goes in 7 days a week into prepping for race and I do think that Martin’s spoken about it—that it’s not just a ‘show up and race’ kind of situation. You’re doing your homework, watching competitions early in the weekend video, notes, SNT data […]”
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Fans often mistake racing for just racing for the few laps on the day of the race, but it is insiders like Coon who have watched the sport closely who can give an accurate opinion. Fans can only hope that Truex Jr decides to stay for one more season. At least, his dad thinks he will.
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