Martin Truex Jr announced that he would be retiring from NASCAR at the end of the season back in June.
All of sudden, he has just two races of his career left to go before he packs it in for good, bringing a 21-year career to an end.
The 2017 Cup Series champion has accumulated 34 victories in 681 race starts, the last of which he took in the Crayon 301 in 2023.
The end of a thrilling championship has arrived for the NASCAR playoffs, but can Truex butt heads with the best one last time?
Martin Truex Jr ‘not giving up’ on fairytale NASCAR win
The 44-year-old American couldn’t have started his penultimate weekend in the sport in better fashion, after claiming the pole for the Xfinity 500.
It helps to generate a fantastic opportunity for him to produce the best of goodbyes, and to remind everyone of his excellence again.
Speaking to NASCAR.com about his car after qualifying, he was in good spirits regarding his chances on Sunday.
“I feel great about our car on stickers (new tyres),” said Truex. “You never want to get too optimistic, but I fired off really good in practice, especially that second run with the track rubbered in.
“I was like, ‘If we can just hit the balance here for qualifying, it should be really fast.’
“We’ve got two more chances to win. We want it bad, we’re working hard, we’re not giving up, and hopefully we can get it for everyone.”
Who else qualified well in Martinsville?
Both Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell failed to make the top eight in qualifying, leaving them with work to do on Sunday.
Truex will be joined by Chase Elliott on the front row, a man with little to lose in the playoff picture and gunning for the win.
William Byron starts third, the man who is in the most comfortable position out of anyone in the top three of the championship.
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It’s the final race of the Round of 8, meaning that fans could be in for plenty of chaos on Sunday afternoon.
Drivers have nothing to lose, so expect a fascinating fight between the drivers at the top as they clamour to make the Championship 4.