1on1: Dale Jarrett

CONCORD, N.C. -- Prior to running in what he has repeatedly insisted will be his last race, driver Dale Jarrett talked with the media about his long and distinguished career -- and what lies ahead for him as he hangs up his driver's suit.

Jarrett is one of only five drivers to win three Daytona 500s. Only Richard Petty, with a record-setting seven Daytona 500 victories, and Cale Yarborough, with four, have won more. (Jeff Gordon and Bobby Allison, like Jarrett, own three each).

In 668 career Cup Series starts, he captured 32 victories overall. His first did not come until 1991, when he won at Michigan at the age of 34 -- the same age when his famous father, two-time former driving champion Ned Jarrett, decided to retire. Dale won his only championship in 1999 while driving for Robert Yates Racing, and now will follow in his father's footsteps by making the transition from behind the wheel to the broadcast booth.

Here is most of what he had to say while speaking with a group of reporters at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Q: What are your thoughts as you reflect back on an outstanding and memorable career?

Jarrett: As I'll think back on the career I guess there is one word that comes to mind. It's just fortunate that I was able to be a part of a great sport in a time that it probably was gaining its biggest growth over the years. And not because I was a part of it; I was just lucky to be a part of it. So I was very fortunate. ... Now we're at the end. I've had a lot of time to reflect back over a lot of very good things that have happened to me in my career and discuss those with a lot of people. Again, I just have been very, very lucky to be a part of this and to have what I consider a very successful career.

Q: Are you absolutely certain there is no chance somewhere down the road where you might climb back into a car and drive for a race or two?

Jarrett: No, I'm not getting back in. That is my plan right now and I just don't see anything changing that. I've told this to my family and I've told it to the fans. I think whenever you tell them things like this that you need to hold to that. ... Not to mention that I have a huge commitment to ESPN and that is probably as much as anything. The commitment that I've made to them was that [after driving in the All-Star Race] my focus then would turn to being the best announcer that I can be.

Q: Did you pay much attention to racing between your last points race at Bristol in March and the All-Star Race?

Jarrett: I've purposely tried to stay away. Obviously, I had commitments to ESPN at some of the Nationwide races since Bristol. I was at Texas, I was at Phoenix and I was at Talladega. I have to keep in touch with the sport in that way; not only that, but I have to keep up with what's going on because our coverage starts in July and it's pretty extensive at that time with the Nationwide and the Cup side. Obviously we're getting into a battle for the championship so I want to stay up on what's going on -- but I can't sit here and tell you that I've sat and watched all the races because I haven't done that. There's not one of the races since I've been out of the car -- and I guess maybe that's six races -- that I've watched the entire race.

Q: Why is it difficult for some of these other drivers to stay retired from driving?

Jarrett: I'm not sure that I can answer for them. We're competitors and this is what we've always done. Just cutting off is difficult and I know that there are going to be times when I'm going to look back and think that I should have kept going at this -- but again, I know in the long run that it's the right decision for me and we're all different as to what drives us.

Shining Star

Dale Jarrett finished 21st in the Sprint All-Star Race at. But his final start wasn't about the finish, Joe Menzer writes. It was about closure for a champion.

• Complete story, click here
• Video: Career reflections
• Superstore: Dale Jarrett

I have other things that are going to keep me busy because I do a lot with my kids and I do love to play golf. If I can get another day of that, then I'm happy with that, too. Plus, the announcing side, I realize that is going to become extremely busy. ... I'm actually looking at my schedule starting in July when we start with the Cup side at Indianapolis for ESPN, and I'm actually spending more time, if you want to call it work -- doing my job than if I were driving the racecar. It's just a huge commitment there.

Q: If you were to explain your career in just a few words, how would you do it?

Jarrett: Fantastic -- it's just been a huge thrill for me. I should probably back it up from 1993 on. Basically from 1993 to 2004 and 2005 -- that was a 10- or 11-year span that was just fantastic. You always hear about people loving to get up every day because they love to go do their job, and that's the way I was. I was mad on Sunday nights not because we had a bad day, but because I had to wait four more days before I could get back in the racecar. That's how good it was and you wanted to do that every single day.

When they said, 'Do you want to go test somewhere?' I was always like, 'Yeah, let's go.' I want to be in the racecar and I had great people from [former crew chief] Todd Parrott and Robert and Doug Yates and their whole family and Ford Motor Co. -- they just gave me a great opportunity there. We made the most of it and I was very, very fortunate. It was a blast.

Q: Did you seek advice from your father, Ned, about your retirement?

Jarrett: We talked about that. I think that there is a big difference [between the way he decided to retire]. My dad was very goal-oriented and he set his goals to win two championship and he didn't realize that was going to happen in a span of about five years. He didn't really know at that time -- there wasn't really anything going on in 1965 or '66 that would tell you I need to stick around for this because things are really going to get big. I think that he did what he thought was best for his family at that time.

We've talked and the reason that myself and others can hang around here until we're 50 or 50-something years old, is as difficult as the life is in traveling around and being gone, it's made a lot easier because of some of the amenities that we have with the motor homes and being able to travel and stay at the racetracks. You're right there and don't have to fight all the traffic. Obviously, the airplanes make it where you can stay at home longer and get back there sooner. It gives you more of that family life that they missed out on a lot.

Q: Do you think you'll see the drivers of this current era sticking around for as long?

Jarrett: I would think that won't be the norm coming up because these young guys are getting great opportunities when they're 20 and 21 years old. They're probably not going to look at staying in the Cup Series for 25 or 30 years. I think their careers are going to be a span of 15 or 20 years.