“My father only finished the eighth grade”: When Kelley Earnhardt revealed Dale Sr. being ‘disappointed’ as factor behind her career path

Kelley Earnhardt Miller is a renowned name in the world of NASCAR. Kelley, 52, is the chief executive officer (CEO) of JR Motorsports. She manages JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, a team she co-owns with her brother, Dale Earnhardt Jr., her husband L.W. Miller, and Hendrick Motorsports owner, Rick Hendrick.

In an interview with Leaders Magazine, a few years ago, Kelley discussed what led her to begin a successful path in NASCAR.

She revealed that her father Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s lack of higher education led her to complete her education first and then get into the family business.

Kelley's father Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a legendary NASCAR driver who won a staggering seven NASCAR championships.

She oversees the company’s (JR Motorsports) race team, management team, and the team’s business ventures. For her impact on the motorsports industry, she was named in SportsBusiness Journal’s Game Changers/Women in Sports Business, in 2015.

In an interview with Leaders Magazine (leadersmag.com), she was asked if she had a passion for joining the family business in NASCAR. She replied she was focused on getting educated because her legendary father had only graduated the eighth grade and wanted her to seek quality education.

"I figured I would do something in racing, but I was focused on going to college because my dad was focused on me going to college. I was the first kid in my family to go to college. My father only finished the eighth grade and he was very disappointed in that and wished that he had went further," Earnhardt Miller told Leaders Magazine.

She explained that she was working in racing with her role in a marketing firm while completing her B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina.

"I started working in the sport while I was in college and worked for a marketing firm since my dad didn’t want us working directly in his business. Most of my early career was spent at Sports Image and Action Performance," she added.

In the same interview, Kelley discussed the challenges she faced in joining a male-dominated sport. The 52-year-old replied that her entry into the industry was eased by her being an Earnhardt. Her father’s personality as the ‘Intimidator’ provided her with the respect she needed. She also acknowledged that other women without such connections find it difficult to grow within NASCAR. She emphasized technical roles like pit crews and shop positions were hard to come by for women.

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Kelley Earnhardt makes feelings known in a one-liner on JRM's breakthrough achievement

Connor Zilisch secured his first career Xfinity Series pole at the Circuit of The Americas, edging out teammate Ross Chastain for the top spot. Other JRM drivers also qualified well, with Justin Allgaier in fourth, Carson Kvapil in fifth, and Sam Mayer in eighth, showcasing the team's overall strength on road courses. Earnhardt expressed her excitement succinctly:

"JRM doing BIG things in Texas!" Kelley posted.

This achievement marks a breakthrough for JRM, particularly for Zilisch, who previously earned a Truck Series pole at COTA and has demonstrated his road course prowess with a win at Watkins Glen.