Martin Truex Jr just announced his retirement ahead of the Iowa race. After the statement, his peers, including Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, and more, started to pour in their love for the driver. And, undoubtedly, one thing remained constant: Martin Truex Jr is a no-fuss, respectable guy. In fact, to everyone’s surprise, Hamlin said he didn’t have one moment in all this time where he had a “what the f**k moment” with his teammate.

That truly says a lot about his character. But not everyone is on the same page. NASCAR’s most popular driver, Chase Elliott, recently disclosed his nearly non-existent relationship with the veteran. Given that the driver from HMS has had a decade in the sport to converse with the veteran, things just didn’t transpire. However, there is more to what meets the eye.

Chase Elliott emphasizes that respect goes beyond communication

NASCAR’s golden boy just revealed that he is far from being best buddies with Martin Truex Jr. In a shocking revelation, Chase Elliott gives insight into his relationship with MTJ and how he is taking the news of his retirement. Chase Elliott revealed to Bob Pockrass that he has seldom had any interactions with the veteran.

While it’s tough to imagine that in his nearly 9-year career, he failed to talk much, What’s more shocking is his next statement, where he explains why he likes it that way. Elliott said, “No, and honestly, that’s why I like him, and to be honest, I wish we had more of that.” When someone from the interviewers asked him, “If there are any interactions with him that come to mind?”

According to Elliott, it’s not necessary to form a different bond than that of a professional one.

However, that doesn’t mean that Chase Elliott doesn’t have respect for his seniors. After the shocking admission of not talking much to Truex Jr, he clarifies that despite his limited interactions, he had always looked towards Truex with a ton of respect.

Elliott said, “We’ve always gotten along well. Probably never spoke more than 20 words to each other in my nine years, and we don’t have to. There’s always been mutual respect there. That’s the kind of relationship I’m all about as it pertains to a professional atmosphere. Somebody who shows up, keeps his head down and does his job and seems to focus on the things that matter. I think we can all respect and admire that.”

Fans, as usual, were quick to react, and they were shocked as to how having no interactions when they do their job at the same place is even possible. One user on Twitter voiced his opinion. He said, “We’ve always wondered how much the drivers interact. It seems odd to me that any 2 drivers have barely interacted. B/t media, testing, all the time at the track prior to the races, etc that these guys wouldn’t know each other well.”

However, in NASCAR, not everything is black-and-white; there are gray areas. And this just seems to be one. Chase Elliott’s comment underscores an aspect that is often undervalued: the inherent and ingrained respect that exists among drivers—a respect that extends beyond the need for communication. While Elliott’s words were straightforward, his actions always reflected a profound respect for his veteran. Let’s backtrack!

When the HMS driver wrecked at Darlington in 2020

Before the NASCAR verse attacks Chase Elliott for being disrespectful or anything around that, knowing history is crucial. Let’s peel back to the year 2020 when a battle for the lead in the playoff opener race transpired. It was between NASCAR’s most popular driver and Martin Truex Jr.

As the race entered its final stages, the HMS driver held a commanding lead, but the JGR driver made a risky move to pass, resulting in a collision that eliminated both drivers from contention. MTJ was performing exceptionally well, sweeping both stage wins and leading the 196 of 387 laps.

However, Elliott led 114 laps and was excited to be nearing the end of the race. But alas, Truex Jr’s car passed past Elliott’s Chevy, and Truex Jr rear-clipped the latter’s front. And both of them slammed into the outside wall! However, they were still at the race but had no chance of making it back to the top. Truex Jr stood at 22nd, and Chase Elliott was in 20th position. Given the situation everyone expected, Elliott might be mad at the No. 19 driver, but he was far from troubled.

Chase Elliott told FOX, “I feel like Martin and I both have a lot of respect for each other. I know from my end, I respect him, he’s a champion. I felt we had some really hard battles together so I would hope that’s mutual and if it’s not, I still have respect for him either way. I do think that the situation was a racing incident, I think we were both battling really hard for the win.”

Currently, Chase Elliott is in contention to win the Cup Series, and he seems confident enough to do so. He is currently second in the Cup Series standings. But Truex Jr is not far behind him and is in fifth place. Who do you think is among the top contenders for the top spot in the upcoming race at Iowa? Let us know!