Retire Or Continue Racing? NASCAR’s Martin Truex Jr. Still Undecided

LOUDON, N.H. — After winning the Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Monday, Martin Truex Jr. is still deciding whether or not he’ll return for another NASCAR Cup Series season.

“Will you talk to him, please?” team owner Joe Gibbs pleaded to reporters after the race. “He tells me the same thing every year.”

Truex himself wouldn’t give a direct answer when asked if he would return next season.

“I’m not sure,” Truex said. “… This sport isn’t exactly what it appears to be. It takes a very big commitment.

“My team is amazing. They deserve the very best driver, the guy that wants it more than anyone else. And I’ve been that guy and I want to make sure that if I come back I’m willing to do that.”

The 43-year-old 2017 Cup Series champion has been racing for 25 years and alluded to the time he’s missed spending with family and friends.

“Do I want to keep doing it?” Truex pondered. “Am I willing to sacrifice all those things again for my team? That’s just what I’m thinking about.”

Truex has had a successful season so far with three wins, seven top-five finishes and ten in the top-10 and he took over the top spot in the regular series championship as well as the playoff race with the 60 points he earned with the Magic Mile win. But is it enough?

“I’m bad at making big decisions.”

NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr.

“I don’t know that running good and winning makes a difference,” Truex said. “Be pretty awesome to win the championship and walk off into the sunset.”

Making decisions doesn’t come easy for Truex. He said he might buy a boat this week but hasn’t fully committed to that either.

“I’m bad at making big decisions,” Truex laughed. “I’ve been looking at saltwater boats for five, six years. Love to fish and spend a lot of time on the water but I haven’t pulled the trigger on a boat because I just can’t make up my mind on what I want.

“I’m just bad at big decisions. And I am finally about to buy one maybe this week. I wish I had more time to figure out what I want to do next year but I don’t so I’ll know soon and you’ll know soon.”

One decision Truex did make — what type of fishing he plans to do on his boat if he buys one.

“I won’t fish for lobster on my boat. I’ll fish for fish. Tuna, not lobster.”