When parents come from an athletic lineage, there’s often an unspoken expectation — from fans and within the household — that the children will follow suit. Surrounded by the rhythm of engines and race day routines, it’s easy to assume Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s daughters would inherit his competitive streak. But Isla and Nicole are in a different lane altogether — one far from the roar of a racetrack.
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During a recent Bless Your ‘Hardt episode, Dale Jr. and wife Amy Earnhardt responded to a fan question about their daughters’ sporting interests. Amy revealed that while Isla and Nicole adore their father, their passion leans toward artistic performance, and not sports.
“They’re in dance… We did gymnastics with her (Isla) last year, and she was so long and gangly; I don’t think she was really ready. But she’s much stronger now. We’ve tried to talk her into soccer, and she’s not interested in that. Nicole isn’t either.”
Amy went on to explain their hesitation, saying, “Like if they wanted to play soccer or play a sport, we would be all for that. I feel like if they had a little friend that did it, they would sign up.
“Whether they loved it or not, they would at least try it. But us just blankly asking them, no, not interested. I’ve even tried to ask Isla about doing taekwondo or something like that.”
Dale Jr. offered some perspective on their younger daughter, noting that while Nicole is only four, she’s already showing signs of grit and raw physicality, traits that could eventually blossom into athletic potential. “Nicole is really physical, tough, mean, gritty. And if anybody’s going to do any kind of sports, it’ll probably be her,” he predicted with a hint of pride.
That potential had already surfaced earlier, as Dale Jr. had shared in a previous episode. Nicole had competed in a school footrace around an oval and took the win in stride. Amy added that Nicole had fully embraced the race-day spirit, donning a vintage Dale Earnhardt T-shirt and channeling that competitive energy.
According to Junior, she understood it was a contest, and true to her father’s bloodline, she showed up to win. Still, he hopes that Nicole might eventually gravitate toward organized sports. Junior mused that he would love to be that kind of girl’s dad, taking her to games like soccer, T-ball, softball, whatever it is.
Yet, in the same breath, he admitted that while he’s proud of their dedication to dance and cherishes their individuality, the world of sequins and stage lights isn’t exactly where he feels at home. “It’s not my cup of tea,” he confessed. “Not something I’m going to go sit (with).”
