Dale Earnhardt Jr: NASCAR retirement announcement eases pressure

The Hendrick Motorsports driver revealed on Tuesday that this would be his final year of full-time top-line competition, though he will still honour a commitment to contest two Xfinity Series rounds with his own JR Motorsports team in 2018.

"I certainly do feel a lot more relaxed now but I don't know if that is because I finally got to tell everybody and let everybody know what we're doing, getting that over with," said Earnhardt after Friday practice for this weekend's race at Richmond.

"But I certainly felt real relaxed today in the garage.

"I felt like there was less pressure from somewhere - and a large amount. It was a lot different."

Earnhardt compared his situation to when his then-crew-chief Steve Letarte decided during 2014 (pictured below) that he would step down to take up a broadcasting job at the end of the year.

"He called that whole season completely differently," said Earnhardt.

"He was more aggressive and I think it was because he had the freedom to be that way.

"I won both of those Pocono races on pit calls that he made. We didn't just out-run everybody.

"There were things he did in the middle of the race that we might not have done had he not had his mind made up with what he was doing and instead said, 'This is my last hoorah, we're just going to go for it.'

"I noticed that whole year he was much more easy-going, approachable, he's pretty damn likeable but he was much more likeable and easy to be around then.

"He let everything roll off his back."

Earnhardt said he could already feel himself adopting that mentality in practice on Friday, when he was 14th quickest.

"Usually when we start practice and the car is tight in the centre, the tone of the conversation about the car is completely different," he said.

"But having been able to make that announcement, and let my guys know, I'm not going to get so spun out if something's just not perfect on the car or the car's a little slow.

"I guess I won't be as panicky about it and the frustration won't jump in there as quickly as it usually does."

BYRON SHRUGS OFF 2018 RUMOURS

Speculation over who might replace Earnhardt in 2018 has so far centred on Hendrick development driver and JR Motorsports Xfinity driver Williams Byron.

The 19-year-old rookie is currently second in the second-tier championship and took seven wins in his first full-time Truck campaign last season.

"Every one of us wants to race in the Cup Series," said Byron.

"That's the ultimate goal.

"I'd be ready for anything, I think.

"But right now I'm just focusing on what I can do at JRM, seeing what we can do the rest of the year and hopefully competing for a championship."