• HS Baseball 4/25: Negaunee 10, Escanaba 9
  • HS Baseball 4/25: Bark River-Harris 11, Superior Central 1
  • HS Softball 4/25: Menominee 15, Bark River-Harris 0
  • HS Softball 4/25: Hancock 12, Norway 2
  • HS Softball 4/25: Houghton 10, Westwood 2
  • HS Baseball 4/25: Traverse City West 9, Sault Ste. Marie 3
  • HS Softball 4/25: Kingsford 15, Marquette 0
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Friday April 26, 2024
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Announces NASCAR Retirement

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. announced Tuesday that he is retiring from the motor racing.

The 41-year-old Earnhardt has 603 starts -- 26 victories -- over a career that began at age 24 in 1999. Among his accomplishments are two Daytona 500 crowns (2004, 2014) and two championships (1998, 1999) in what has become the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

During Tuesday’s announcement, and emotional Earnhardt Jr. thanked his crew chief Greg Ives of Bark River. He called Ives a “close friend”, “hard working”, and one of the best people on his team.

Earnhardt Jr.  is not having the season he planned after missing 18 races recovering from concussions in 2016. So far in 2017, Earnhardt has led only eight laps and his best finish was fifth in Texas (April 9). He's currently 24th in the  NASCAR standings. 

Johnson turns 42 in September and is a seven-time NASCAR champion.