Scott Announces Retirement From NASCAR

Richard Petty Motorsports driver Brian Scott has announced his retirement from full-time competition at the end of the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season. 

"This was a difficult decision, but one that I made myself for my family," said Scott. "Racing -- and specifically NASCAR -- has been and will always be in my heart. But right now, I want to turn all my attention to my family and to be able to spend more time with them. Racing has blessed me with great opportunities, and I'm very grateful for everything that it has allowed me to do, but for me, it's time to move on. I can't thank everyone enough who helped me in my career. I would not have made it to where I am at today without their trust and commitment." 

Scott began competing in NASCAR's national series in 2007, debuting in the NASCAR Camping World Series and competing full-time there in 2008 and 2009, with a win at the Dover International Speedway in 2009. From 2010 through 2015, he competed in the NASCAR XFINTY Series, finishing in the Top-10 in the championship standings in five of his six seasons. He signed to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with RPM in 2016, with a best finish of second at Talladega Superspeedway last month. 

"Brian competed at a level that very few do in NASCAR," said Brian Moffitt, Chief Executive Officer of Richard Petty Motorsports. "Brian became part of the Petty family this year, and he committed himself to making our organization better. We feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to get to know Brian and wish him nothing but the best for him and his family." RPM will continue to field the No. 44 Ford Fusion in 2017 with a driver to be announced later.

In a related story, Albertsons Companies has announced that they will not return to RPM in 2017. "Local sports sponsorships are an important part of our marketing strategy in communities across the country," said Albertsons Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer Shane Sampson. "While we have decided to focus our investments elsewhere in 2017, we appreciate the work that Brian, Richard Petty Motorsports and the entire No. 44 team put forth for Albertsons Companies this year, and we wish them the very best in the future."