Martin Truex Jr.
Phoenix Season Finale Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops 2004 Throwback Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing
Event Overview
● Event: NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale (Round 36 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 10
● Location: Phoenix Raceway
● Layout: 1-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 312 laps/312 miles (502 kilometers)
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 125 laps / Final Stage: 127 laps
● TV/Radio: NBC / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● Back to the Beginning: As Truex hits the track one final time as a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Cup Series Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, a familiar look will adorn his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Camry that will take him and his fans back to where it all started. When Truex made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 31, 2004, it was also the debut of now longtime partner Bass Pro Shops in NASCAR’s top series with the New Jersey native. While the race itself did not turn out how he had hoped when an engine issue forced him to the sidelines early, the scheme from that day will always be remembered by Truex and Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris. This weekend at Phoenix, Truex will run that scheme one final time as a fulltime participant in the Cup Series, which will no doubt bring back memories of where it all began.
● The Finale: Following last weekend’s penultimate race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Truex arrives at Sunday’s 2024 season finale and final race of his fulltime Cup Series career in the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE 10th in the driver standings.
● Ironman: Truex will be making his 684th consecutive Cup Series start inSunday’s Season Finale 500k at Phoenix. While it’s the longest streak among current drivers by a significant margin, Truex also sits among NASCAR’s all-time greats as far as consecutive starts go. Truex started the streak on Feb. 19, 2006, when he started the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Only five drivers have amassed more consecutive starts than Truex – Rusty Wallace (697), Bobby Labonte (704), Kevin Harvick (784), Ricky Rudd (788), and the all-time record holder, Jeff Gordon (797).
● Truex has one win, six top-five finishes and 14 top-10s and has led a total of 259 laps in 35 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix. Truex’s average Phoenix finish is 15.6.
● Truex notched his Phoenix victory in March 2021, when he led 64 laps en route to his first victory at the 1-mile desert oval.
● Looking for 35: Truex’s July 2023 win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon was his most recent in the Cup Series, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.
● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 64 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn in August 2023. Truex scored his fourth stage win of the season Sept. 15 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.
Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops 2004 Throwback Toyota Camry XSE
Is there one word to sum up your career?
“Stressful? (Laughs). I don’t know, I’m not sure there’s one word. There are so many different emotions and things I’ve been through over the years. It’s been a roller coaster, there’s no question. Just thankful for everyone who has done so much for my career, there’s more than I could even begin to thank. I’m looking forward to celebrating a lot of those people this weekend. I’ll have some friends and family at Phoenix and I know a lot of people from Bass Pro Shops and Toyota will be there, as well. I’m thankful for so many people and hope we can celebrate with them during the weekend for all we have been able to do together.”
Do you view your career in two different parts?
“Yeah, I think certainly if you’re just looking at my Cup career, then yes. There was certainly a first half and a second half somewhere around the same number of years. But if you look at the rest of it, then no. If you look at my Xfinity years, growing up and running my dad’s cars and all of that, it’s all one. It’s all the same, so you have to take the good with the bad, I guess. Definitely had a lot of reality checks along the way.”
Did you ever think you’d accomplish all you have?
“I always dreamed I could. Always thought I could. But you know, in this sport and in life in general, that’s all just talk. So, it’s been fun to get it done a few times and be able to accomplish what we have during my career.”
As you wind down your final fulltime season, are you ready to stop racing or do you still feel like you have some racing left to do, even if it’s not in a fulltime capacity?
“I still want to race, I don’t think I want to completely stop going forward. I don’t know when and in what, but I’ll still try to have some fun. I still love racing and driving cars, just ready to not travel 40 weekends a year more than anything. That’s the only thing, just the travel and, every week, having to pick up and go again. So now I’ll be able to make a schedule, I can pick and choose when and where I go and I’m looking forward to that.”
What is the biggest challenge for you when racing at Phoenix?
Phoenix is very straightforward-looking, but the two ends are so different that it’s a big challenge to get your car working good, especially with this current car we have, we are shifting a bit. It’s definitely a fun place and it’s been really racy there the last couple of years and I enjoy going there. I think we’ve definitely improved at these flats tracks the last couple of years and I think we should be strong this weekend with our Bass Pro Shops Toyota.”
Let’s say you are in the lead on the final restart at Phoenix. What’s going through your mind?
“I think just getting a good jump and getting through turns one and two. That dogleg breeds opportunities to cut the corner. If you can get to turn one with a little bit of a cushion, you are in generally good shape, so it’s all about the restart there to be able to maintain the lead and be able to bring it home.”
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster
Primary Team Members
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey
Crew Chief: James Small
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Car Chief: Chris Jones
Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy
Hometown: Blockville, New York
Spotter: Drew Herring
Hometown: Benson, North Carolina
Road Crew Members
Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina
Mechanic: Todd Carmichael
Hometown: Redding, California
Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Engine Tuner: Beau Morton
Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell
Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois
Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot
Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York
Over-The-Wall Crew Members
Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Jackman: Caleb Dirks
Hometown: Riverside, California
Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey
Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina
Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher
Hometown: Middleburg, Florida
Rear Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham
Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois
