DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. to retire
01:05 - Source: CNN

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Earnhardt, 42, shared the news with members of his No. 88 team Tuesday morning

He has raced more than 600 times and has won 26 Cup Series races

CNN  — 

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring at the end of the season, his team, Hendrick Motorsports, announced in a statement Tuesday.

Earnhardt, 42, shared the news with members of his No. 88 team Tuesday morning. A news conference with Earnhardt and owner Rick Hendrick is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Earnhardt made his Cup Series debut on May 30, 1999 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He raced more than 600 times and has won 26 Cup Series races, which includes two Daytona 500 wins, in his career. He has qualified for the NASCAR playoffs eight times, and has been voted by fans as NASCAR’s most popular driver for 14 consecutive years, a record.

This is Earnhardt’s 18th season. He has driven for Hendrick Motorsports since 2008. Earnhardt was sidelined much of last season from the effects of a concussion.