Unlike other sports, Nascar can see drivers compete well into their 50’s. While this allows for some pretty cool stories and added fan memories, it also can lend itself to some drivers staying active well past their prime.
With Jimmie Johnson being just the latest driver to announce his retirement from Nascar (effective the end of the 2020 season), I wanted to take a look at drivers who voluntarily retired from the sport to see if they hung on too long or left at just the right time (or maybe even a little too soon). By “voluntary retirement” that means I’m not including anyone who was killed or seriously injured while driving.
Instead of looking at EVERY driver (even though interest in an analysis of Mike Skinner’s latter years could be quite high) I’m limiting it to Hall of Fame inductees—for now.
(Drivers listed in order of their Hall of Fame induction)
NOTE: Those inducted primarily or exclusively for achievements outside of driving (team ownership, crew chiefing, etc.) will not be considered. Cup performance is all that’s considered for this piece. Also, the more modern term “Cup Series” will be used instead of Grand National, Winston Cup, etc.
Cale Yarborough
DRIVING ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Three-time Nascar Cup champion—the first to win three championships consecutively. 83 Cup Series wins. Four-time Daytona 500 champion. Five-time Southern 500 winner. Modern-era record holder for poles in a season with 14 in 1980.
LAST HURRAH: After barely missing out on the 1980 Cup championship, Yarborough scaled back to a part-time schedule (in order to spend more time with his young daughters). He would remain a threat to win whenever he showed up, particularly at big tracks like Daytona and Talladega, and his final wins came during the 1985 season.
FINAL YEAR(S): Yarborough spent his final two years as a driver starting up his own race team, Cale Yarborough Motorsports. Although he posted two top-fives in his penultimate season, his best finish in his final season of 1989 was ninth twice (albeit in only ten races run). Yarborough would continue to operate his team as an owner for several years.
DID HE HANG ON TOO LONG?: Probably not. While there was a decline in Cale’s on-track results, some of that could be chalked up to his running for a brand-new team for his final two years. Even still, three top-tens in his final part-time season is nothing to sneeze at.