When a driver is entering the final days of a full-time career that spanned nearly two decades, it’s easy to imagine them rediscovering the magic in things that had become mundane: those final debriefs with the team; driving out for the last practice session as a full-timer; even just the mental recalibration that comes with knowing that after 19 years of waking up as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, you’re going to wake up as… something else.

All of that might be true if the driver in question is anyone other than Martin Truex Jr, who will climb into Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota as a full-time NASCAR driver for the last time in Phoenix on Sunday.

“Yes and no. I mean, I guess a little bit,” Truex said on Saturday when asked if preparing for this weekend felt any different.

“I don’t really know the significance of it. I guess it hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m excited for the weekend. I had good practice yesterday and as far as preparation, it’s been same as usual. We’ll see how it goes. I’m not sure really of the emotions. I’m not super-emotional, I guess. We’ll see what happens after the race, but looking forward to having a fun weekend and hopefully a great day tomorrow.

“I don’t think I will be (emotional). I’m focused on what we’re doing, and if anything, it will all come afterwards. As a driver, you’re trained to put the blinders on, right? And not worry about outside distractions and emotions and all the things that could potentially derail what you’re trying to do on the weekend or on the race day. So I think if anything, it’ll probably not really sink in until after.”

Truex does not have a large entourage present in Phoenix for his send-off. “Just my close family,” he said. “I’m not sure aside from them.” Instead, the sole obvious concession to sentiment is one that wasn’t even his idea – this weekend, his car carries a replica of the livery he used in his Cup debut with DEI at Daytona in 2005.

A livery come full circle, minus some metal flake — 2005 Daytona 500. Robt LeSieur/Motorsport Images

“It was a surprise to me,” he said. “I had no idea. Very grateful for it though. It was one of my favorites that I’ve had throughout my career. It doesn’t quite look exactly the same [when done in] vinyl. It used to be paint back in the day, and when that car was painted, it was metallic, so a little bit different, but it looks amazing and big thanks to everybody at JGR and Bass Pro for putting it together. It’s really special.”

As has been the case with Truex since day one, it’s going to be left to his driving to do the talking. The championship with Gibbs alliance team Furniture Row Racing in 2017 was the obvious highlight, reinforced by 34 Cup Series wins ahead of Phoenix, and two championships in the-then Busch Series. But in saluting Truex’s career on Friday, NASCAR president Steve Phelps also emphasized his integrity.

“I don’t know that it was that I put a great effort into it. I think it just came naturally and that’s just kind of the way I did things,” Truex said. “Certainly proud of that. I think times have changed a lot since I learned to race with, you know, Mark Martin and Tony Stewart and the guys when I came into the Cup series – they didn’t put up with anything, so you had to learn quickly. That’s just my style and the way I like to do it.”

Truex is as relaxed about the chapter he’s about to embark upon as he is the one that’s about to close. He plans to do a very limited program of Cup races next year, and maybe tack on the annual Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium in New Jersey, where he cut his teeth – though again, not until next year. “[I’m] raced out for the year,” he smiled. “So [I’ll] take Thanksgiving with the family this year and then next year I’ll probably be bored, so I might do it then.

“I’m really excited about the future and next year and just going to have fun again. I don’t really know what tomorrow feels like. It’s going to be different for sure, knowing that you’re not full-time in the Cup Series and all that comes with that, but I’m excited about it. Maybe I’m happy more than anything.”