Earnhardt comments on his contract

When Dale Jr. retires NASCAR's popularity will take a major hit

Q: As you get older in your career, you see guys like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, your contemporaries calling it quits. Do you see yourself racing past your current contract with Hendrick Motorsports once it expires after 2017?
Earnhardt: Well, I think that I have some interest to do that. It's something that we haven't started to sit down and talk about. We will see what Rick wants to do with his direction, what his future is for the team. We will see if that lines up with what I want to do. I don't think I will race as long as my dad did, but I have been having a lot of fun over the past couple of years. I would hate to walk away from such a good opportunity prematurely, but when it comes down to it, Rick is the boss and what his future and direction of the team is important to me. I'm sure we will get talking about what we want to do past this contract in the next six months.

Q: I know before you've mentioned that you would like to race XFINITY and Trucks once you walk away from Cup. Do you still want to do that?
Earnhardt: I want to run in the XFINITY Series for JR Motorsports as long as it helps the company. I think it would be racing a late model race here and there with the late model program. That's reasonably affordable and would probably enjoy doing that on and off into my 50s and 60s if that's what you wish. I think if I had an itch to scratch, that would be a good way to do it. Frontstretch