Kasey Kahne took to social media on Thursday to announce that 2018 would be his last season as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver. The 38-year-old veteran currently drives the No. 95 for Leavine Family Racing and his contract was set to expire at the end of the season.

"I've thought about this decision for many months, if not longer," Kahne said on Twitter. "The highs didn't outweigh the lows and the grueling schedule takes a toll on your quality of life. I need to spend more time doing things I enjoy."

Kahne also added that part of his decision to retire was to spend more time with his young son, Tanner, and also focus more attention on his sprint car teams. Here is the full statement. 

The 2004 Rookie of the Year is coming off a playoff appearance in 2017 and has put together an impressive resume over 527 career Cup starts. Kahne won 18 races at NASCAR's highest level with some notables including three Coca-Cola 600s and his last win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017.

Kahne's departure opens the door for Leavine Family Racing to make a change or potentially go younger next season. LFR has been mentioned as a possible candidate to switch from Chevrolet to Toyota next year. The team also took to Twitter to thank Kahne for his career in NASCAR. He plans to finish out the year in the No. 95