Dale Earnhardt Jr. will retire after the 2017 NASCAR season. “Junior,” has 603 career starts and 26 wins on the NASCAR circuit and won the Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014. The 42-year-old has recently suffered concussion-like symptoms and has decided to call it quits.

Earnhardt has become a vocal advocate for research of sports-related brain injuries.

Earnhardt’s best finish in eight starts this season was fifth place at Texas Motor Speedway on April 9. He currently is ranked 24th in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.

Story by Bill Pollock