It’s nearly the end of an era. Only four races are left before Martin Truex Jr. closes the curtains on his full-time racing career. The racing veteran has had a long, but illustrious journey in the NASCAR Cup Series and is looking to end his season on a high. Despite having several chances of entering Victory Lane in his No. 19 Toyota, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has fallen short this year but is hoping to make amends in the upcoming races.

Truex Jr crashed out of the playoffs in the Round of 16, but that won’t stop him from giving it his all before riding into the sunset after a two-decade-long racing career. Will the veteran racer find the winner’s circle one last time?

Martin Truex Jr. is not fazed by the pressure

Martin Truex Jr isn’t having the season he had hoped for. Despite making a fiery start to his Cup Series campaign, leading more than 50 laps in three of the opening seven races, the 44-year-old racing driver has struggled with consistency, especially after announcing his retirement. The New Jersey native went from being second in the regular series standings after the opening 14 races to finishing 10th at Darlington Raceway before the playoffs began. A third-place result at the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway did little to pacify his fans, who are eager to see him secure a victory in his last season as a full-time driver.

With the pressure of the playoffs being lifted from his shoulders, Martin Truex Jr was asked by Frontstretch’s Dalton Hopkins if that would help him enjoy retirement going forward. The veteran driver candidly replied, “I don’t know if I ever minded the pressure of the playoffs. I think you know, when you’re running good and things are going well, it’s fun you know and the playoffs are just a part of that so it’s been a little frustrating lately, just not getting the finishes you know.”

Martin Truex Jr has come close to breaking his winless streak several times this season but has fallen short for one reason or another. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished in the top-4 five times already, with his highest finish being a runner-up result at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he led 228 laps. With it being his last full-time season at NASCAR’s highest level, it’s only fitting that he ends his Cup Series career with at least one win to show for it.

Given his experience, the 2017 Cup Series winner is unfazed about his preparations leading up to the 2024 South Point 400. He said, “Just doing all the normal things, and the guys are doing a good job of continuing to push and try to, you know, bring speed to the track.” Having secured two victories at the 1.5-mile track in the past, Truex Jr knows Las Vegas Motor Speedway like the back of his hand. The No. 19 Toyota driver will be starting the race in 12th place and will hope to improve on his seventh-place result from earlier this year.

Truex Jr outlines expectations for upcoming races

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He might not be competing for the championship, but the remaining four races in the NASCAR Cup Series are every bit as important for Martin Truex Jr as it is for any title contender. The veteran racing driver has won on all four tracks in the past, but not since the Next-Gen car was introduced in 2022. However, the New Jersey native will be hoping to turn back the clock in the coming weeks to end his season on a positive note.

Sharing his expectations from the business end of the season, Truex Jr said, “I think, you know, this track (Las Vegas Motor Speedway) and Homestead are probably, you know, two of our better tracks, or have been two of our better tracks so I feel good about the next couple of weeks. Martinsville has not been that great with this car. Phoenix has been a hit-or-miss, so I think the next two weeks are pretty big for us and I’m excited about them.”

As things stand, Martin Truex Jr is 12th in the driver standings, just four points behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs. While a top-five finish is unrealistic at this point, the 44-year-old will hope to finish in the top ten by the time the season concludes at Phoenix Raceway. If there was ever a time for Truex Jr to pull the rabbit out of the hat, it’s now, as time is running out for him to salvage his last full-time season as a Cup Series driver.