NASCAR: Major Martin Truex Jr. announcement looming at Iowa

During each of the last three summers, in the heart of NASCAR Cup Series silly season, there have been rumors about Joe Gibbs Racing's Martin Truex Jr. considering retirement.

Those rumors largely stemmed from Truex's own uncertainty, given the fact that he has only recently signed one-year contract extensions to remain behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota. Many times, as he was asked the same question over and over again, he truly did not know what his plans were.

In 2022, he opted to return for the 2023 season. After missing the playoffs entirely in 2022, he won three races and the regular season championship in 2023. En route to his regular season title, he confirmed that he would be back for a sixth year with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024.

Martin Truex Jr. announcement looms

But now the 43-year-old Mayetta, New Jersey native, who is the oldest full-time driver in the Cup Series following last year's retirement of Kevin Harvick, is expected to announce that his 19th full season of competition will be his last. Teammate Denny Hamlin, also 43, would be slated to become the series' oldest active driver next year.

The announcement is expected to come Friday at Iowa Speedway, two days ahead of the first ever Cup Series race at the four-turn, 0.875-mile (1.408-kilometer) Newton, Iowa oval.

Truex, who won the 2017 championship, owns 34 career victories, good for a 25th place tie on the all-time wins list. He sits in fifth place in the point standings through the first 16 races of the 36-race 2024 season.

Truex has competed in 664 consecutive races, going back to the 2006 season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. No other driver has a longer active streak.

A retirement announcement would open up a highly coveted spot at one of NASCAR's top teams, and there have already been several rumors swirling around regarding who may take his place behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota at Coach Joe Gibbs' team.

Chase Briscoe, who is currently slated to be out of a ride after 2024, thanks to the impending shutdown of Stewart-Haas Racing, is currently viewed as the top candidate to replace Truex, even with a plethora of in-house talent at Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Racing Development from whom to choose.