Advertisement

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. to retire from Cup racing at end of season

 
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is most popular NASCAR driver for 14 straight years.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is most popular NASCAR driver for 14 straight years.
Published April 26, 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At 7:34 a.m. Tuesday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. foreshadowed what was to come with a social media post that broadcast his mood. In typical fashion, he did not try to conceal his emotions.

"Been up since 4," he wrote on Twitter, followed by an emoji with a straight mouth. "Woke up like," followed by another emoji of a face with eyes wide, cheeks flushed.

He was nervous, and by 9 a.m. the world knew why: Earnhardt announced he will retire from NASCAR Cup racing at the end of this season.

After missing half of last season because of a concussion and its lingering effects, Earnhardt, 42, said the time had come and he wanted to make the decision himself rather than be forced out for health concerns. His 2016 concussion was his second in four years and led him to wonder if he would ever return to racing.

"I just wanted the opportunity to go out on my own terms," said Earnhardt, who added he plans to run two Xfinity series races in 2018 for his own team and didn't rule out additional races; Earnhardt's sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and his Cup team owner, Rick Hendrick, co-own his Xfinity team.

Earnhardt will go out not as the most successful driver in NASCAR but as one of the most popular in the sport's history. In 18 seasons, the son of legendary driver Dale Earnhardt has won 26 races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He has never won the Cup series championship but has received the most popular driver award 14 times in a row.

"There'll never be another Dale Earnhardt Jr.," said Rick Hendrick, his team owner. "You're the one."

That's a fact NASCAR knows all too well after seeing steady declines in ratings and attendance over recent years as it negotiates life after the retirement of some of its top stars.

Jeff Gordon, the four-time champion, retired in 2015. Tony Stewart, the fiery and outspoken three-time champion, retired in 2016. Now Earnhardt is leaving in 2017.

Earnhardt had a fan base from the moment he put on a fire suit because of the adoration directed at his father, but his popularity grew as his down-to-earth, relatable personality emerged. He has become a Twitter superstar, amassing 2 million followers. For many, he's the last connection to the generation of drivers led by his father and the glory days of NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001 at age 49.

"I knew that growing up in that man's shadow was going to be a hard challenge," Junior said. "But I wanted to race, and I knew racing would put me in that shadow. All I wanted to do was be able to make a living driving cars."

But he has not won since 2015, and his best finish this season is fifth. He is 24th in the standings.

At the same time, NASCAR's TV ratings are at record lows, according to Sports Media Watch. But Kyle Petty, a former driver and now an analyst for NBC Sports, noted, "Earnhardt's been here the whole time ratings have been declining."

So how could Earnhardt's retirement affect ratings and attendance further? Petty wondered. He echoed what many NASCAR executives have said: The sport simply is evolving as the current crop of stars reaches retirement age.

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

"To say I'm not going to be here (racing) one day is difficult," Earnhardt said, "because we all wish we could be here forever."