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After Soul-Searching, NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Retire At Season's End

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring at the end of this season. The 42-year-old driver has won 26 times on NASCAR's top circuit.
Matt Sullivan
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Getty Images/NASCAR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring at the end of this season. The 42-year-old driver has won 26 times on NASCAR's top circuit.

NASCAR's most popular driver will hang up his helmet at the end of this season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Tuesday announced plans to retire after 18 seasons in the sport.

The announcement from Hendrick Motorsports follows a year of soul searching by the 42-year old race car driver. He missed half of last season after the latest in a series of concussions suffered on the track. He recently married longtime girlfriend Amy Reimann.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. with team owner Rick Hendrick after winning a race at Daytona in 2008.
Credit Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images/NASCAR
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Getty Images/NASCAR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. with team owner Rick Hendrick after winning a race at Daytona in 2008.

In an interview on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday April 9, Earnhardt talked about how his life has changed since his last concussion.

"I certainly am more aware, whether I want to be or not, of how dangerous it is," said Earnhardt, whose father Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a racing crash. "But going through the injury yourself really puts it into perspective of what's important."

Earnhardt is one of the sport's most popular and highest paid drivers. For the past 14 years fans have picked him as their favorite - the longest streak of any driver.  

Two years ago, he also earned more than anyone else in NASCAR from prize money, endorsements and merchandise sales. His half-season last year saw him slip to second (behind Jimmie Johnson), with $21.1 million total, in an annual ranking compiled by Forbes.

Earnhard has started 600 races, and won 26, including two Daytona 500s.  

He'll talk about the decision at a press conference this afternoon at 3.  

David Boraks previously covered climate change and the environment for WFAE. See more at www.wfae.org/climate-news. He also has covered housing and homelessness, energy and the environment, transportation and business.