Kyle Larson’s brother-in-law Brad Sweet has announced a sudden retirement from racing.

The six-time national champion, who was previously a JR Motorsports development driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, stepped away from his planned return to Sprint Car racing after realizing he could no longer commit at the level required to compete in the sport’s biggest events.

Although Sweet entered the season no longer racing full-time, he agreed to a limited schedule with respected car owner and crew chief Paul Silva, targeting marquee events including the Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals. It comes after Denny Hamlin rallied against upset NASCAR fans after Brickyard 400, and Larson explained what’s fueling his NASCAR retirement decision

However, after a difficult Kings Royal week at Eldora Speedway, Sweet made the decision to withdraw. The turning point came on July 17, when he scratched from the Knight Before the Kings Royal after admitting he no longer felt comfortable behind the wheel.

Sweet’s struggles led him to acknowledge that he could not provide the level of preparation and competitiveness required for Sprint Car racing’s biggest stages. As a result, he ended his agreement with Silva and pulled out of the Knoxville Nationals, potentially bringing an end to a Hall of Fame-caliber driving career.

“Ultimately, you don’t know how you’re gonna feel when you retire from full-time racing,” Sweet told FloRacing in an interview. “You invest your whole life into racing trying to achieve your goals of winning championships and big races. Making a living racing was always my goal as a kid, and I never imagined I’d have as much success as I did.

“I think as you get older – kids, family – your time becomes very important to you. What it takes to be competing at the highest levels, it’s just no joke out there. You don’t just show up and kind of half-ass it, especially when you’re driving for someone like Paul Silva and his team with Trevor Canales.

“They’re working as hard as anybody out there and put the time and effort in. And so, it’s just not fair. If you’re a Sprint Car racer, you’re trying to win the race or you’re not. That’s how I look at it.”

Sweet’s decision was not driven by a lack of ability, but by where racing fits into his life. The six-time national champion was enjoying one of the strongest seasons of his career, winning four of his 17 starts – a 23.5 percent win rate, his best since 2021. Three of those victories came in NARC competition, while another came against a 60-car World of Outlaws field at Knoxville Raceway in April, proving he could still compete with the sport’s elite.

After finishing 16th and 17th in the Joker’s Jackpot events and withdrawing after time trials on July 17, Sweet had an honest conversation with Silva at Eldora Speedway that ultimately led to his decision to step away.

“Ultimately the conversation at Eldora, I give Paul credit for making me have that difficult conversation,” Sweet said. “Not that he pressured me one way or the other. He just wanted me to be honest, because, obviously, he could tell I wasn’t that comfortable. I was out of it. He got the feeling just based off my mannerisms that, you know, I wasn’t really enjoying it. Also, the conversation we had was great. I still respect the s— out of Paul and have a good friendship with him. I’m able to kind of step away, and it gives them clarity on their path forward and clarity on my path forward.”