Earnhardt, a name synonymous with NASCAR, has seen three generations of Dale Jr’s famed family battle it out on the race track. Seven-time Cup Series Champion Dale Earnhardt Sr, fondly known as the “Intimidator,” had followed in his father Ralph Earnhardt’s footsteps. When Dale Earnhardt Jr made his debut, he had the opportunity to share the track with his father. Unfortunately, that did not last long for Dale Jr as his father tragically died on the track during the 2001 Daytona 500.
Wanting to keep the Earnhardt legacy alive, Dale Jr recently opened up about how he and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, took control of their family’s racing future and preserved the Earnhardt name in NASCAR after the death of their legendary father, Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reflects on Building JR Motorsports
On a recent episode of Bussin’ With The Boys, Dale Jr. spoke in depth about how he and his sister Kelley took it upon themselves to save the family legacy. A former race car driver, Earnhardt Jr. built a name for himself in the sport. Beyond his tremendous achievements on the track, Dale Jr. and his sister set up their own team, JR Motorsports, cutting ties with his father’s Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) team.
Dale Jr said, “JR Motorsports, the race team we have, we’ve ran there for, seems like 18 years, a long time. We’ve won 90 races, five championships. The idea was that me and her will be involved DEI, which was my dad’s race team. Our thought was that that would be what we would do all of our lives.”
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What would have been a dream for them to work at their father’s team fell apart after Earnhardt Sr. passed away. Dale Jr., who drove for DEI at the time of the tragic passing, left the team a few years later after things turned sour with his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt. He went on to drive for Rick Hendrick in the Cup Series while also setting up his own NASCAR team.
Setting up a NASCAR team had not been a cake walk, and with his busy schedule, things fell on Kelley’s shoulders. On the podcast, Dale Jr credited his sister Kelley for handling the organization’s business side, while he mainly contributes by being the face of the team.
Together, Dale Jr and Kelley have ensured the family name would not only survive but thrive in the modern era of NASCAR. And after fielding four full-time entries in the Xfinity Series, we just might see JR Motorsports make another appearance in the Cup Series sooner than ever.