Dale Earnhardt Jr. refuses to clear speculation over retirement from yearly NASCAR appearances

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently refrained from confirming any plans regarding his retirement, despite himself sparking speculation on his podcast, "The Dale Jr. Download," early Friday afternoon, about retiring from the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He indicated that he appreciates the element of uncertainty surrounding his future in racing. Additionally, Earnhardt hinted at the possibility of returning to a specific track if he decides to race again.

Previously on his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had suggested a potential retirement, noting,

"We got this Xfinity race coming up at Bristol... We talk so much about all these late-model races. That's like the sign that maybe it's time to like, all right, we're going to close the book on racing in the Xfinity series... So everybody's like, is this really your last race? I'm like, probably."

However, after an impressive return to the track where he managed a seventh-place finish despite numerous challenges—including radio issues, not wearing his glasses, and needing to switch helmets mid-race—Dale Earnhardt Jr. reconsidered his earlier stance.

On the latest episode of his podcast, he subtly shifted his previous statement, implying a potential change in his thoughts about retiring:

"So everybody was like, "This is your last Xfinity?" I'm like... I don't. Have any plans? I like it that way. If I want to run one, I will. If I don't. Right now there's nothing on the schedule for next year. Knowing me, I'm probably gonna go, man, I miss running when I'm done broadcasting. And when NBC finishes out the year I'll probably be sitting there going I should have ran a race darn it. And then I'll probably go to Kelly and L.W. and say, 'Hey, let's find one for 2026.'"

Discussing the possibility of returning to racing in 2026 after a planned hiatus in 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed interest in a specific track that might lure him back into the driver's seat. He mentioned:

"I might go to Kansas. That looks pretty fun, running the fence. I love running the wall. That's why I went to home static a couple times in the last couple years. I mean, I don't know. It's just, we're just talking speculations."

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. enjoyed 'every lap' of the Bristol race'

Starting from P13, Dale Earnhardt Jr. navigated the short track, concluding Stage 1 in P19 and improving to P9 by the end of Stage 2, despite facing numerous challenges. Reflecting on his return to a NASCAR track since last year’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October 2023, Earnhardt shared his longing:

"I loved every lap. It was great! I got everything I wanted out of this, and I’ll miss it next year. I’m certain I’ll probably sign up for somewhere else. Trying not to already start thinking about, where would I run? Where do I want to run? But I definitely do want to take next year off, focus on my broadcasting and get my boots on and get back to work there, make sure I’m doing a good job for that. That’s my priority, that and my family." [via NASCAR]

Meanwhile, three of his four full-time drivers from the JR Motorsports team—Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith—have qualified for the playoffs and will be competing in the Round of 12.