"I’m cutting my own path; I’m not Pawpaw Dale": When Jeffrey Earnhardt discussed handling the pressure of his last name

Part-time NASCAR driver Jeffrey Earnhardt made an appearance on his uncle Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast, the Dale Jr. Download, in 2019 as he discussed the pressure of carrying the Earnhardt name with the 50-year-old.

Jeffrey Earnhardt is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt’s son and Dale Jr.’s half-brother. Dale Sr. is the most successful NASCAR driver in history alongside Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson, with all three having seven championships each.

Dale Jr. and Jeffrey discussed how carrying this name in the world of motorsports require a driver to handle the pressure, as the uncle-nephew duo explained how they deal with it.

“It’s awesome what Papaw Dale’s built and you and Daddy. The whole family continued to carry on that legacy. That’s what means the most to me, and seeing how much it means to other people,” Jeffrey Earnhardt said in 2019 (via Dale Jr. Download Podcast Episode 246). (6:25 onwards)

“Obviously, expectations are high, and people automatically assume just because of your last name, you’re gonna win races. And unfortunately, wins don’t come that easy. But I feel like because you grow up in it, you kind of understand how to channel that pressure and not let it sit on your shoulders,” he added. (7:20 onwards)

“And I feel like I’ve been able to handle that pretty well and know that I’m cutting my own path. I’m not you, I’m not Pawpaw Dale.”

Jeffrey Earnhardt began his stock car journey in 2007 as he raced for his uncle's team Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the ARCA Menards. He moved to race in the Xfinity Series in 2009 as he made his part-time debut with 2014 being his debut full-time season with JD Motorsports.

The very next year, Jeffrey made his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Go Fas Racing as a part-timer, with 2017 being his first and only season as a full-time driver. Jeffrey raced for Circle Motorsport in 2017 and finished 36th in the championship.

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Dale Jr. shared his perspective on carrying the last name with Jeffrey Earnhardt

When one's father is a seven-time champion, like it was the case with Mick Schumacher, and was the case with Dale Earnhardt Jr, it is incredibly difficult to continue their legacy. The same happened with Dale Jr., whose father was a seven-time champion, but he failed to win a single Cup Series championship.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Ford EcoBoost 400 - Source: Getty

The pressure from the fans and the media gets unbearable at times. Dale Jr. shared how he dealt with the pressure with Jeffrey Earnhardt on the podcast. He said:

“Even after I retired, I still hear that I rode my dad’s coattails all the way through my career.” (8:20 onwards)

“It can be frustrating, but you’ve just gotta remember — and I know that Jeffrey does this, because we get a lot of practice — that you just think about what you’re doing, think about what you’re in control of and remind yourself of what you’ve done to be where you are. And that makes you proud and happy,” he continued

Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from the Cup series in 2017 and races part-time in the Xfinity. Jeffrey Earnhardt, on the other hand, is active as a part-timer in the NASCAR Xfinity and the Truck Series.