Dale Earnhardt Jr. indicates Homestead-Miami race may have been his last

Despite finishing fifth in Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. may have competed in his final race.

Following the race, Earnhardt speculated whether Saturday's race was his last, and it very well could've been for the father of two, via NASCAR.com:

“I think right now it’s just going to stay the same. I don’t want to do any more, that’s for sure. I can say that with confidence. I don’t know how many more of these I’ll do. This might be the last one, and this ain’t no tease or anything like that. I’m not trying to be annoying about that. It’s a lot of a commitment, and I just … I don’t know. It’s getting to the point to where I’ve got to decide whether I’m helping things or I’m not helping the team, how can I help the team in other ways. I don’t know.

“I really enjoy it. I really do, but I think there’s got to be a point to where I decide to make the change to broadcasting entirely. With that said, being in the car today, I certainly learned a ton that’s going to help me in the (broadcast) booth. I’ve just got to think about it, and I certainly don’t want to run more. One is plenty and it’s a great series. We’ll just see how it goes. I guess it’s a tough question to answer.”

The 45-year-old kept his No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet near the top of pack throughout the Hooters 250, but saw Harrison Burton take the victory.

Earnhardt Jr. remains one of the most popular drivers of all time, and it would be disappointing for NASCAR fans if he decides to walk away from racing completely. However, he won't be a stranger to the racing world if he officially calls it quits. Earnhardt Jr. is an NBC Sports broadcaster, podcaster and has a heavy social media presence, so it's likely we haven't seen the last of him. 

Among Earnhardt Jr.'s racing accomplishments include two Daytona 500 wins and 14 consecutive most popular driver wins.