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 Kevin Lepage’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.
Dale Jarrett
DRIVING ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 1999 Cup Series champion. 32 Cup Series wins. Three-time Daytona 500 champion. Two-time Brickyard 400 winner. First driver to win for Joe Gibbs Racing.
LAST HURRAH: After a dip in performance in 2003, Jarrett bounced back with two 15th-place points finishes in 2004 and 2005—the latter of the two featuring his final Cup race win as well.
FINAL YEAR(S): After a winless 2006 Jarrett left Robert Yates Racing for the brand-new Toyota team of Michael Waltrip Racing. With UPS sponsorship and his past-champions provisional in tow, Jarrett was unable to overcome an early-season penalty and failed to qualify for a slew of late-season races. He would run the first five races of the 2008 season (plus the all-star race) before retiring, failing to notch a single top-ten race finish for MWR, then go into broadcasting.
DID HE HANG ON TOO LONG?: Yes. Jarrett’s winless 2006 was probably the best sign that it was time to retire, and his year-plus with MWR was a disappointing end to a popular driver’s successful career.