Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person.

James Finch is exactly what I'm looking for, as far as getting back into the race car to have fun.

I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races - 16 in all. I'm proud that we won on a variety of tracks.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing.

Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person.

I know where my priorities lie.

I also appreciate the lasting friendships I've made while working with our great sponsors through the years, including Miller Lite, Shell and Dodge.