Phoenix Championship Weekend Marks End of an Era for Many NASCAR Competitors
The lead-up into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway was emotional for so many people in the NASCAR Cup Series garage, as several relationships, whether it be a driver, an organization, or a sponsor, were coming to an end.
This phenomenon happens at the end of each season, but even more so in the fast-paced quickly changing climate of the NASCAR Cup Series. However, the sheer number of heart-wrenching changes happening between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, feels significant.
Gone Fishin': Martin Truex, Jr. Retires from Full-Time Competition
Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway marked the final drive for Martin Truex, Jr. as a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The Mayetta, New Jersey-native has spent the last half-decade competing in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE, with major backing from long-time supporter Johnny Morris and iconic brand Bass Pro Shops.
It's not total 'retirement' for the 44-year-old driver, though, as Truex has confirmed that he'll return for the season-opening Daytona 500 next season, piloting an additional entry for 23XI Racing with Cole Pearn as the crew chief. This weekend at Phoenix, Truex also mentioned he's open to running some Xfinity Series events with Joe Gibbs Racing.
This past weekend's contest at Phoenix Raceway was an emotional one -- at least for the people around Truex -- but it didn't really seem to phase the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion, although, he says he would have liked to run better than 17th.
"I wanted it to go better than that," Truex said. "We were pretty good early and then lost track position and then the track just continued to rubber up and get hotter. At least that's what I felt like it was going. I was losing the grip, I kept losing more balance, I was just losing track position. It just all magnifies with this thing."
After the race was finished, several people approached the Joe Gibbs Racing driver on pit road, to congratulate him on the conclusion of his full-time tenure in the NASCAR Cup Series.
"It means a lot to have the respect of guys like that and what they mean to the sport. Absolute legends, right? It makes me feel good that I’ve earned that respect over the years, and it means a lot," said Truex. "From here forward, I’m just going to go have some fun and do a little bit of racing here and there just for fun. Hopefully, it will be less stressful than days like today.”
Denny Delivers: FedEx Ends 20-Year Relationship with Denny Hamlin, JGR
After spending the last two decades serving as the anchor partner for the No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE, driven by Denny Hamlin, FedEx, the iconic global shipping company, is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing.
About an hour before Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin posted a tribute video to social media, which contained a highlight reel of the partnership between the iconic driver-sponsorship pairing.
Thank you, @FedEx pic.twitter.com/9VaeOB2YQ8
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 10, 2024
"Just can't thank [FedEx] enough for 19 years. It's been such a great relationship," Hamlin said after finishing 11th. "If you said at the very beginning 'Would you take 19 years in a row with the presence they've had?' Absolutely. They've been part of my racing career, the whole thing in Cup, and so really happy to be able to represent them and all their employees."
At this time, Hamlin says that everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing is continuing to work hard, in order to find sponsorship for the No. 11 in 2025, but there will be some returning partners that continue to have a presence.
"I'll always have a relationship with FedEx, and really the executives there," Hamlin added. "They've just been so good to me over the years, and my family, and this team, so absolutely, I will still bleed purple."
In 642 starts as a NASCAR Cup Series sponsor for Joe Gibbs Racing, FedEx has been to Victory Lane a total of 47 times -- all with Denny Hamlin. The company's most-recent victory was at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Fall of 2023.
A Legend's Vision: Stewart-Haas Racing Runs Its Final Cup Race
After 15 years in the NASCAR Cup Series, Stewart-Haas Racing has run its final event.
The four-car operation took the checkered flag for the final time in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Finishing P12, P24, P29, and P37, the results didn't exactly give the championship-winning organization the most stunning send-off.
Josh Berry: “Man, this is just such a special group and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone at SHR for all they did this season. We had some really tough circumstances and a lot of uncertainty, and the No. 4 group still showed up and gave it their all and I am just so thankful."
Rodney Childers: “Overall, it was a tough year, mentally just to realize this place was shutting down. The things that we’ve done together, the races that we’ve won, the poles that we’ve won, all of that stuff is super special to all of us. And really everybody here is a big family. We’ve watched each other grow up, we’ve watched our kids grow up. It’s tough, it really is. But I think all of us have been pretty fortunate to find something for next year. And we’re all going to stay family for a long time, and keep racing.”
Noah Gragson: "Today [is] about the memories and the people. The people of Stewart-Haas are in a challenging position right now with everything that’s gone on this year, but we all rally behind each other and support each other. And today is about all those people who are looking for jobs, who build these racecars, got our race team to the racetrack and back, and work so hard and sacrificed so much. So, overall, I’m super grateful and I’ll cherish this moment today.”
Chase Briscoe: “I didn’t know really what the emotions were going to be per se. Like after the race, everybody was happy and laughing, but before the race, I got in the car and I started crying. Like just realizing that you know — I literally used to dress up as Tony Stewart, right? And play iRacing video games. The fact that I have gotten to drive the No. 14 car for Tony you know just like literally a storybook. You couldn’t have written it any different or better. So, the fact I got to do that and to be the guy who has got to drive this 14 car the last four years And to get it in victory lane is crazy, if you would have told seven-year-old me that I was going to get to do those things.”
Ryan Preece: “It was a good year and I really appreciate all the hard work."
Love's All Around: McDowell, FRM Splitting After Seven Years
Michael McDowell and Front Row Motorsports have been partnered for the last seven years, and during that time, they've been able to put each other on the map.
A pair of victories with the organization, first the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2021, and two seasons later a road course victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, have allowed both parties to flourish and capture the attention of others, including manufacturer Ford Performance, which upgraded FRM to Tier 1 support in 2024.
That long-time journey of scratching and clawing for every single position has come to a close, though, with McDowell tapped to join Spire Motorsports and drive the No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro, beginning in 2025.
In Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, McDowell and Front Row Motorsports had a dismal final ride, finishing three laps down in 31st.
"It's interesting, because we had a terrible day, but I'm happy," McDowell said post-race. "I'm not happy with the day, I'm just proud of what we've done at Front Row [Motorsports], I'm proud of the effort we've put in. Today wasn't the day we hoped for on the last run, but that doesn't take away all that we've done and all that we've accomplished."
Wholesome Helmet Swap: Hemric Gets Parting Gift from Second Cup Stint
Heading into the off-season, Daniel Hemric's future is quite uncertain. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-native doesn't have a seat on the NASCAR Cup Series grid for next season, after Kaulig Racing tapped Ty Dillon and AJ Allmendinger to pilot its full-time entries in 2025.
Knowing Sunday would be his final Cup Series start for the foreseeable future, Hemric stopped to get a picture with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Instead, the co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB told Hemric to stop by after the race for a helmet swap.
You want to talk about wholesome moments in sports? Here's a great one:
Pre-race @DanielHemric just wanted a picture with @JimmieJohnson.
— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) November 10, 2024
7-time told him to stop by after the race for a helmet swap.
Two awesome guys. pic.twitter.com/XPin5yVXko
"Honored to trade helmets with [Daniel Hemric] -- a true competitor and friend. Much respect," Johnson said in a post to social media following the helmet swap. As of the second day in the off-season, Hemric has not yet announced where he'll compete during the 2025 season.
MORE CHANGES COMING:
Harrison Burton ran his final NASCAR Cup Series event for Wood Brothers Racing at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, finishing 16th in the No. 21 Ford Mustang. Burton has spent the last three seasons with the team, scoring one victory at Daytona in September. In 2025, the son of NBC Sports analyst Jeff Burton will drive in the Xfinity Series for AM Racing.
Parker Kligerman contested his final event as a full-time NASCAR driver in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Phoenix Raceway, finishing 14th in a backup car, after a crash in practice. Kligerman will pursue other endeavors, but it's unknown what exactly those will be. Nick Sanchez will take over the Big Machine Racing No. 48 in 2025.
With Saturday's Xfinity Series event at Phoenix Raceway, Wayne Auton ended a 13-year stint as Race Director of the NASCAR Xfinity Series and a 40-plus-year career as a competition official for NASCAR. As his final act, Auton got to present the championship trophy to Justin Allgaier -- whom he has a special relationship with.
