PHOTOS: Martin Truex Jr. through the years
Martin Truex Jr. will wind down his NASCAR Hall of Fame-worthy career as he will step away from full-time Cup Series competition after 2024.
Truex is a beacon for the underdogs of the sport. He had a slow first half of his career, earning two wins, 32 Top-5 finishes, 95 Top-10s and seven poles in his first 333 starts. He contrasted that with 32 wins, 114 Top-5s, 192 Top-10s and 16 poles in the 343 starts since then.
Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, leads Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 23, 2013 in Sonoma, California. Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images 
Martin Truex Jr. celebrates in victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway after winning his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title. Truex won a series high eight races in 2017. Photo: TRE 
Jonny Olkowski | The Racing Experts 
Matt Courson | The Racing Experts 
Photo: Matt Courson/The Racing Experts 
Martin Truex Jr. hoists the trophy in victory lane after winning at Pocono in June 2018. (Tyler Head | The Racing Experts) 
Martin Truex Jr. celebrates his victory at Pocono Raceway in June 2018. (Tyler Head | The Racing Experts) 
Martin Truex Jr. celebrates his Pocono 400 victory. (Tyler Head | The Racing Experts) 
Photo by Dominic Aragon/The Racing Experts 
Photo by Dominic Aragon/The Racing Experts 
Photo by Cheri Eaton/TRE 
Photo by Cheri Eaton/TRE 
Photo by Marcus Leno/TRE 
Photo by Erick Messer/TRE 
Photo by Erick Messer/TRE 
Photo by Chris Madrid/TRE 
Photo by Amanda Montoya/TRE 
Photo by Dominic Aragon/TRE 
BRISTOL, TENNESSEE – MARCH 29: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #51 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, gives a thumbs up to fans after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 29, 2021 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) 
Photo by Jeff Ames/TRE 
Photo by Jeff Ames/TRE 
Photo by Marteen Vigil/TRE 
Photo by Dominic Aragon/TRE 
Martin Truex Jr. sits in his chair during Daytona 500 Media Day in Daytona Beach, Fla. Photo: Erick Messer/TRE 
Photo by Joseph Eigo/TRE 
Photo by Dominic Aragon/TRE 
Martin Truex Jr. gives a wave to the crowd during driver introductions before the October 29, 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Photo by Erick Messer/TRE 
Photo: Feliz Aragon/TRE 
Photo: Jeff Ames/TRE
In the first nine seasons that encompass those first starts, he never finished in the Top 10 in points. In the nine seasons since then, he became a champion in 2017 and has just three points finishes outside of the Top 10. Currently, he sits fifth in points.
Before coming to the Cup Series, he was a stud in the Xfinity Series. He won back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, he beat Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle for the title. In 2005, he beat Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards.
Truex also became a “triple-threat” winner, getting a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win in 2021 at Bristol dirt.
Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com