Michael Annett Announces Retirement From Full-Time Competition

The driver of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro has just dropped some major news about his future plans. Michael Annett announced on Wednesday, October 6, that he will retire from full-time NASCAR competition following the conclusion of the 2021 Xfinity Series season.

​“I’m just so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had,” Annett said in a press release from Rising Star Management Group. “Being able to drive racecars for a living is honestly a dream come true for me. It’s been a privilege to work with some great teams and alongside some of the most talented folks in the garage. None of this would have been possible without the support of my partners, and I am happy to call them life-long friends. It’s those relationships and friendships that are the most rewarding.”

Annett will walk away from stock car racing with 106 starts in the Cup Series, 316 in the Xfinity Series, and nine in the Camping World Truck Series. His lone victory took place in the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway that kicked off the 2019 Xfinity Series season.

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Annett Dealt With Injury Concerns During His Final Season

Annett did not reveal if he will return to the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet Camaro before the end of the season. He has missed seven races due to a fractured right femur, surgery to repair the damage, and some lingering issues. Austin Dillon replaced him at Atlanta Motor Speedway while Chase Elliott took over the No. 1 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Teammate Josh Berry has spent the most time in Annett’s stock car while replacing him for five races. The short-track ace first replaced Annett for races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 17) and Michigan International Speedway (August 21). He then started consecutive races at Bristol Motor Speedway (September 17), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (September 25), and Talladega Superspeedway (October 2).

Berry’s best outing in the No. 1 took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He started 15th and worked his way through the field, ultimately leading 38 of the 201 laps. Berry built up a 4.396-second advantage over his peers before crossing the finish line. Teammates Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson rounded out the top three and created a JR Motorsports podium.

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Annett Kicked Off His Full-Time Xfinity Series Career in 2009

The veteran driver started a multitude of races, primarily in the Xfinity Series. He started his full-time career in 2009 with Germain Racing and posted six top-10 finishes in his two seasons with the team. Annett then spent one year with Rusty Wallace Racing (2011) before joining Richard Petty Motorsports for 58 combined races in 2012 and 2013.

Annett made the leap to the Cup Series in 2014 and spent three full seasons at the top level. He started off his Cup career with Tommy Baldwin Racing, starting all 36 races. He then finished out his time in Cup with HScott Motorsports, making 72 starts combined between 2015 and 2016.

Following the end of the 2016 season, Annett made his return to the Xfinity Series. He joined forces with JR Motorsports in 2017 and initially took over the No. 5 Chevrolet before switching to the No. 1 Chevrolet in 2019.

Annett achieved success overall during his time with JR Motorsports. He made the playoffs in 2017, 2019, and 2020 and came within reach of doing so again in 2021. However, the injured leg removed his opportunities to remain above the cutline.

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