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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat on stage for his Daytona 500 Media Day interview session Wednesday morning and at the end of his 20-plus minutes taking questions, he conceded that if he were to win the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title, he would at least consider stepping away from full-time competition after this season.
Earnhardt, who will start on the front row for the Daytona 500, is returning to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup competition for the first time since last July — sitting out the second half of the 2016 season while recovering from concussion-like symptoms.
WATCH: The full interview with Junior
The two-time Daytona 500 winner and restrictor-plate racing expert refused to call himself a shoo-in for Sunday’s trophy even though he likes his chances. But he did allow that hoisting NASCAR’s season-ending trophy may just present the ultimate racing exit for the newly married 42-year-old.
“Hell yeah. I would definitely not want to come back and race anymore if I won the championship, I’d be outta of here,” he said smiling. “I’ve always wanted to win a championship so badly. And coming back from this injury, we’ve worked so hard. So to come back this year and win the championship, it would be hard not to hang it up.
“This is the last year of my deal. I would like to race more, but if I won the championship I’d have to consider going out on top.”
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Earnhardt smiled as he spoke but did pause often to reflect and think. The sport’s 14-time — and reigning — Most Popular Driver has four top-five finishes in the championship standings, the last a fifth place in 2013.
His father, the late Dale Earnhardt, won seven championship trophies, and his Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson just won his seventh in November.
“It just really depends on a lot of different things,” Earnhardt said, reflecting on the idea of the 2017 championship. “I said that a little tongue in cheek yesterday (that he would retire), but I’d definitely consider it because that’s the last box I don’t have checked really.
“There’s a few races I’d like to win. But the championship would definitely be the icing on the cake for my career.”