The Earnhardt family name is all set to continue to grow in the world of racing as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s nephew, Wyatt Earnhardt Miller, embarks on another chapter of his career journey. The 13-year-old is set to make his Dirt Late Model debut this Saturday at Natural Bridge Speedway, graduating from racing Late Model cars on pavement.
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Wyatt’s debut will mark the return of the Earnhardt name to the dirt track racing scene, akin to his great-grandfather and Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Ralph Earnhardt. The young up-and-coming racer’s resume already boasts impressive accomplishments.
The son of Dale Jr.’s sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Wyatt, boasts of two NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified titles along with winning the Tulsa Shootout’s Restricted A-Class, which consisted of competition from almost 200 other participants.
“I am just real surprised by how he’s adapted to it so quickly. Just by himself, I was not shaping corners as well as he is at his age. I was missing the bottom, I was overdriving it. I didn’t have any real understanding of how to make a corner and get in a groove. At his age, it’s just impressive. He’s doing awesome,” elaborated Junior on his nephew’s ability behind the wheel.
The junior Miller’s debut in the dirt track scene will mark his seventh different category of racing in which he has taken part. With such vast experience at such a young age, it only remains to be seen how well he develops as a racer and if someday he can compete for JR Motorsports, on the way to a probable Cup Series career.
With his uncle and mother at the helm of the Xfinity Series team, it seems more than likely that fans will get to witness a new generation of Earnhardt on the track in a few years’ time.
Excited to drive my first Late Model Dirt race at @NattyBSpeedway this weekend with Longhorn Factory Team and Whittier Motorsports! Hoping to park the 00 in victory lane on Saturday 👊 pic.twitter.com/GBz7GyuFyd
— Wyattwmiller73 (@wyattwmiller73) April 24, 2025
Speaking on his limited experience on how a late model racecar reacts differently on a loose surface than on tarmac or concrete, the young Miller certainly does seem like he has inherited the racing gene from his family.
“It’s definitely a lot different. The left-rear gets up, and then you’re kind of sitting the nose down, and you’ve got to set the car way harder than a micro. It was definitely slower to react,” he said.
With Junior’s driving days long behind him, could Wyatt be the next big thing in NASCAR? Considering his mother‘s prowess as a businesswoman in the racing world and the access his uncle has, the young gun is guaranteed to make his Cup Series debut in the coming decade.
