“The Parents Don’t Live Around”: Why Dale Earnhardt Jr. Is More Than Just a Team Owner for His NASCAR Drivers

When Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team made its Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500, the former NASCAR driver was hands-on, actively participating in everything from unloading the charter to managing the team’s needs in the garage. Given the big occasion, he naturally wanted to be on top of everything one would imagine. But this was just Junior being himself.

This was not the first time he had been so deeply involved with his team. Junior’s commitment and constant presence have been his hallmarks as a team owner. His sister and business partner, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, recently shed light on this dedication and the reason behind it during a dialogue with Shannon Spake on the NASCAR Daily podcast.

Kelley attributed the hands-on leadership style of the siblings to their upbringing. She reflected on how, as the elder one, she often played the protector. This is a role both she and Dale Jr. naturally extend to support their team’s new drivers, helping them put their guard down and feel at ease.

“I get to do a lot of nurturing for Junior Motorsports because we are stepping stones for drivers. A lot of times these drivers come through, maybe they’re not local, the parents don’t live around, or whatever it is,” said Kelley, emphasizing JR Motorsports’ role as a nurturing ground for emerging talents.

“And so I just kind of take them under our wing and kind of be that second mom and dad figure for them, and you do that for different people in different stages of their life,” she added.

Dale Jr. and Kelley have extended a helping hand to young racers like Noah Gragson and Josh Berry, and late-model drivers like William Byron, who have climbed up to the Cup Series under their mentorship.

Of course, this has also got to do with the fact that they represent the larger-than-life legacy of the Earnhardt surname, and are keen to uphold it and take it forward.

Are Dale Jr. and Kelley under the pressure of their family name?

Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a colossus in NASCAR, and naturally, any name linked with him carries massive expectations. That was true for his children as well.

While Dale Jr. may not have mirrored the towering achievements of his father on the track in NASCAR, he has impacted the sport in many ways, be it through his racing, owning a NASCAR team, or being a broadcaster.

Kelley touched on this legacy on the NASCAR Daily podcast. She revealed that the weight of carrying forward the Earnhardt family name permeates their everyday lives.

“We are Racers! Like we grew up in it, we were born into it, we grew up with it, and we know a lot of things, but this is what we’re passionate about and this is what we know,” said Kelley.

Their racing legacy is not just a backdrop but the driving force behind their daily activities, guiding their decisions and goals.

The legacy continues to evolve into the next generation. Kelley’s son, Wyatt Miller, is getting ready for his own NASCAR journey, currently cutting his teeth in midget racing.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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