Citing “family health care needs,” Lee White, the president of Toyota Racing Development, will  be leaving his post according to a statement released Tuesday.

“I have been planning and working toward retirement at the end of this race season in December,” White said in a statement. “I have been offered and accepted an opportunity to perform a reduced amount of duties from my home office. This generous arrangement afforded to us by the company will allow me to attend to personal family priorities.”

White has enjoyed an impressive run since taking the helm in 1997 heading up the manufacturer’s North American push into racing programs in NASCAR, IndyCar, CART, Grand-Am, NHRA and USAC.

White is leaving the post at a tough time for Toyota’s engines in competition. There were two high-profile blown motors in the Daytona 500 suffered by drivers Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch. Trouble struck Kenseth again in Sunday’s race at Dover after he was running in the top 5 and another Toyota entry in Martin Truex Jr. suffered a similar fate.

Toyota’s troubles extended to Joe Gibbs Racing, which was handed penalties for an underweight connecting rod that White took the blame for it not meeting the minimum weight of 525.0 grams. The infraction was caught during a post-race inspection of the Dollar General Toyota Camry at the series Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C.

The company had no ill words for White in a statement it released Tuesday, however, thanking him for his leadership and championship in different series.

White had a long list of entries on his resume prior to the Toyota post, including stints with LeeCo Engineering as an owner, driver and engineer, manager and engineer for Read Racing Engines and later as team manager and engineer for Herman Miller Porsche Racing.

He took part in engine development, manufacturing, chassis design and development, team and manufacturer relationships, manufacturer and sanctioning body relations along with providing engineering support for Toyota teams.

White  also previously had positions as general manager and engineer for Roush Racing, Rocketsports Racing and Newman Haas Racing. He’s been part of programs totaling approximately 1,000 individual race victories and 250 championships.

The talented man is also a private, instrument-rated pilot, aircraft tuner and holder of two U.S. National and World F.I.A. speed records. White will reportedly serve as a Special Advisor to TRD and Toyota Motorsports until the end of the season.

What did you think of White’s tenure as TRD president? Share your thoughts in the comments section.