10 takeaways from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement press conference

Deciding to retire was not easy for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has raced full-time in NASCAR since 1998. “It's really emotional,” he said. “I just don't like letting people down and worry about disappointing my boss and my friend, and my crew. These guys, we all depend on each other to be there every day and to come in and say I'm not going to be here one day is very difficult. We all kind of wish we could stay together forever.” 

But he wanted to make the decision himself. “You're wondering why I reached this decision, it's really simple,” said Earnhardt. “I just wanted the opportunity to go out on my own terms.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick isn’t just Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s boss; he’s a trusted friend. “Without a shadow of a doubt, I think the toughest thing about this decision was having to tell you,” Earnhardt said of Hendrick. “I just didn't want to disappoint you. You mean so much to me. So, on March 29th, I drove over and had the conversation with him, and his response, he told me he loved me. Becoming a bigger part of your life has changed mine forever. You gave me guidance and direction that will reward me for as long as I live.”

Team boss Rick Hendrick is a huge Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan. “You deserve everything, all the awards, and all of the accolades,” Hendrick said. “There will never be another Dale Earnhardt Jr. You're the one. But I'm just super excited and very appreciative of what you've done and what you've meant to me personally, and what you've done for our company. But most of all, what you mean in my life.”

Just because Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller have built JR Motorsports into a successful NASCAR XFINITY Series team, don’t expect them to move up to the Monster Energy Cup Series level. “Kelley's shaking her head no over here, so I'm going to have to go with that,” said Earnhardt.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has used social media as a powerful tool to connect with his millions of fans. “By the end of my career, thanks in large part to social media, I've really gained a new appreciation for their dedication, their enthusiasm when we succeed, and their encouragement when we fall short of our goals,” he said. “I don't think that anything in my professional career has meant more to me than the treatment that I've received from track to track by the fans that so dearly love our sport.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he will remain active in the sport, including running a pair of NASCAR XFINITY Series races in 2018. “My intention is still to be involved in the sport on some level,” he said. “In fact, I still have two XFINITY races to run for JR Motorsports in 2018, so even after this season is over, you've not seen the last of me on the racetrack. But more than that, I want to be a part of the future of this sport for many, many years to come.”

There are a lot of ways for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to derive satisfaction. “I don't have to be the guy holding the trophy,” he said. “But being part of that success, I really enjoy. I really enjoy making people happy and doing stuff as a team. I think I can replicate that in the next chapter of my life.”

People are more important than trophies at this stage in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s life. “I do love winning races, but it's not the priority as far as — it's not the one thing that I enjoy the most,” he said. “The one thing that I enjoy the most about racing is my relationships with my team, my friendships with those guys and working with them now. When it goes right, we win races, we celebrate together, and that's awesome. But the friendships are much more important to me.”

Growing up around racing — and as the son of one of the sport’s true legends — Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t start out with lofty goals. He just wanted to get by. “I knew the odds of me really having any talent at all and being able to do it were thin. They are for anyone,” he said. So at a very young age all I wanted to do was be able to make a living driving cars. I didn't set goals. I didn't dream of winning championships or Daytona 500s or working with one of the best owners in the business driving for one of the best organizations. I just wanted to do it. I just wanted to be able to do it. I was afraid of not being able to do it. So I guess what I'm saying is have I accomplished way more than I've ever dreamed. Way more than I ever thought I'd accomplish.”

Even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be the fourth big name to leave NASCAR in a three-year window, he thinks the sport is in good hands.

“Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, just to name two of probably a dozen guys that I'm excited about,” he said. “I think that's all I read about on Twitter yesterday was how awesome the race was and how much fun it is to watch Larson, and it's true. He's a real talent.

“And all those guys have great attitudes, great personalities. I know them well enough to be excited about how fans are going to know them in the future. I feel like that these are the guys that they're the cream of the crop, and maybe I'm the only one that sees it in this room, but I really have a lot of confidence in the personalities that we have.”