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“I’m done taking risks”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. on why he does not want to return to the NASCAR Cup Series

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. took part in a testing session at Daytona earlier this month but has no intention of returning to full-time racing. 

Earnhardt announced his retirement from full time racing in the Cup Series at the end of 2017. Since then, he’s only been taking part in testing sessions and makes annual one-off appearances at the Xfinity series.

Earlier this year, Earnhardt tried out the Next Gen NASCAR cars at Dayton. He drove for Hendrick Motorsports to help the team prepare for the upcoming season and also to understand the cars since he’ll be a commentator for the Cup Series.

However, speeding around the Daytona circuit did not make him want to return to full-time racing. In a recent interview, the 47-year old revealed why he plans to remain ‘semi-retired’.

“It’s a long story, but I’m old, 47 years old. And take a guy like William Byron. He’s young, he’s a risk taker, and I’m done taking risks,” Earnhardt said.

“I’ve got two little girls that I love being around, and I put my wife through a lot to race , half of my career that she was with me. She put everything in her role on pause for eight or 10 years while we did all that.”

Also read: Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares pictures of his grandfather Ralph’s priceless memorabilia

Dale Earnhardt Jr. does not mind making occasional appearances in the Xfinity series

In April, Earnhardt will drive for his own team JR Motorsport at the Martinsville Speedway in the Xfinity Series. He admitted that he does not mind competing in that series since it’s not as physically demanding as the Cup Series.

He compared taking part in NASCAR at this age to a ‘retired footballer coming back to play in the NFL’.

“I just don’t know that, at 47 years old, I would be willing to take the necessary risks out on the race track that a young guy like William Byron is willing to do.” he added.

“I think once you get to a certain age, if you’re not willing to go out there and put it all on the line, I don’t think you need to be competing. So I don’t know if I really have that instinct anymore. Plus, you’ve just got other things you want to do.”

“The Cup Series is elite. You don’t just show up and think you’re just gonna out there and compete. It’d be like an old retired football player just showing up for an NFL game and thinking he’s gonna go out there and compete with those guys. He’ll get destroyed.”

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About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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