HOMESTEAD, Fla. _ There is nothing else left to write about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s storied racing career, no more build-up or nostalgia or memories to be mustered.
The only thing left to do, for Earnhardt and his crew, for his family and his fans, is to savor the last race. Relish the fact that, for now, for one last Sunday, one last race for Earnhardt to prepare for.
That is all that matters. Well ... almost all.
It's also paramount to remember that Earnhardt, gone from the Cup Series after Sunday's championship race, won't actually be gone. He'll still be around the tracks on weekends as a broadcaster, still present on social media and at public appearances.
And most of all, he has finally come to terms with closing this chapter of his life.
"I don't need to reconsider. This is great timing for me," Earnhardt said Friday. "In my heart, (my career) has run its course. I've felt very good about that decision before the race in Daytona started in February, that this was it. And I was more thankful to be able to compete this year than I was to ever question whether I should go further.
"I'm sitting here healthy, and I'm going to run this last race, and I got all the way through the year, so I feel blessed. I feel really good with it."
Instead of grieving, Earnhardt is commemorating, documenting, living out his last race weekend to the fullest. To have been able to go out on his terms, to put his own punctuation mark on his career, is in and of itself something to be appreciated.
And Earnhardt, as he always has, is doing just that.
"I want to enjoy this weekend," Earnhardt said, "but also, we want to end well. We want to be competitive. We want to work today, and we want to work tomorrow. We want to put in a good effort this weekend."
