When Martin Truex Jr. announced he was stepping away from full-time NASCAR racing at the end of 2024, most fans assumed he’d swap race tracks for fishing spots and hunting trails. After all, the 2017 Cup Series champion seemed ready to trade high-speed turns for a slower-paced life filled with hobbies and relaxation.

Martin Truex Jr. has continued to state that he plans to run the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 despite deciding to walk away from his full-time NASCAR Cup Series driving career at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Kevin Harvick retired from NASCAR Cup Series competition after the 2023 season. A year later, it's Martin Truex Jr.'s turn. On Sunday at Phoenix, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver ran his final race as a full-time competitor.

Martin Truex Jr. goes through his emotions after industry members stop by to congratulate him after his final full-time Cup Series race.

Martin Truex Jr. got a nice surprise when his fellow drivers gave him a standing ovation during the prerace meeting before Sunday's NASCAR finale. Once on the track, the 44-year-old driver from New Jersey took time to thank his team for all the memories before his final race as a full-time Cup Series driver.

Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has stepped away from full-time competition - but the veteran is set to return at the Daytona 500

Martin Truex Jr. has completed his journey as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitor, but his story as a race car driver is still ongoing. Truex plans to return to the race track for more Cup and Xfinity Series races in 2025 but doesn't know the specifics

Martin Truex Jr. still anticipates entering the Daytona 500 in February with Cole Pearn serving as crew chief but doesn’t expect it to happen under the 23XI banner. Truex retired from full-time NASCAR competition after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 10.