It's been a whale of a ride for Top Alcohol Dragster frontrunner Duane Shields. After this weekend's Las Vegas NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, he plans to take the exit ramp, ending a 26-year driving career.

For Shield, a successful Las Vegas-based businessman, there's no place like home to call it a career.

"I have accomplished everything I want to accomplish, so now it's time to step out of the driver's seat and let Madison take over," Shields said. "It's the changing of the guard. I selected these two races as my last hurrah so my friends and family can be there one more time to see me race."

Shields, a 23-time NHRA race winner, leaves his cockpit in the capable hands of Madison Payne, the third-generation of drivers from a family that has already produced two Hall of Famers. He's not leaving the team and will retain his productive crew chief role and a mentor for Payne.

Shields began his drag racing career in 1997 under the tutelage of championship-winning instructor Frank Hawley following a successful run as a sand drag racer. Two years later, Shields won his first national event in Sonoma, Ca.

Shields proved to be a natural talent, winning the 2011 NHRA Lucas Oil Series championship. He coupled that with seven regional and divisional championships and the highly coveted U.S. Nationals title. His last national event win came in Las Vegas when he won the Dodge NHRA Nationals in 2019 and did so with a brand-new dragster.

Shields clearly has the ability to win more races and compete at a high level but believes the time is right for his decision.

"I thought about it long and hard over the last year, and I've had my time," Shields explained. "I'm not going anywhere because I still want to be out here as a team owner and spend time with my racing family."

Rich Bailey contributed to this report