NASCAR’s Steve Phelps addresses Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart leaving the sport

Ahead of the season finale for NASCAR this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, President Steve Phelps and Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell held a press conference regarding the current state of the sport.

One of the topics the duo tackled was the issue of some major star-power leaving the sport. Martin Truex Jr. will retire from full-time Cup Series racing at the end of Sunday’s race in Arizona, while Tony Stewart, a fellow championship driver turned one of the top owners in NASCAR, will be walking away, as well.

Keeping the two legends in mind, Phelps made sure to point out their contributions to NASCAR, wishing both Truex and Stewart well, and letting them know they’re welcomed back at the track whenever they’d like.

“Just a quick shout out. I know this is going to sound like a bit of a non-sequitur, but I did want to make sure that I said something about Martin Truex and his retirement from full-time racing,” Phelps stated.
“Martin has been a class act. He is a clean race car driver, never dirty, and he’s got a great fan base, and we will miss him. We are hopeful that he’ll come back and do one-off races, or participate in other ways in the sport.

“Then, likewise, Tony Stewart (is) selling his charters. Tony is going to concentrate with Leah [Pruett] on their family and on drag racing. So, we wish Tony well. Tony is always welcome at our race tracks, as well.”

Over the better part of the last three decades, Truex and Stewart have been constants in the Cup Series, both on and off the track. Their names are etched in the history of the sport as past champions, with Truex having one trophy, while Stewart’s won twice, not including the prizes he’s won as an owner, as well.

As Phelps mentioned, it’s possible Truex could come back for some one-off races in the future. It’s been heavily reported that Truex will be in a ride for the 2025 Daytona 500, one of the biggest races that he hasn’t won in the past, although he’s come about as close as you can. Perhaps he’ll get the job done in the most unexpected fashion next season.

Regardless, Martin Truex Jr. and Tony Stewart made major contributions to NASCAR over their careers, and Steve Phelps was right to shout the duo out during his press conference on Friday. The Cup Series will continue to march on, as it’s done in the past, but they’ll sorely be missed.