$50M-worth Kelley Earnhardt reflects on father Dale Earnhardt's iconic quote: "I died doing what I love"

Kelley Eernhardt, daughter of the late seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, took to social media on Friday to reflect on a quote by her late father. The 76-time Cup Series winner once said that if he died on the racetrack, he would have done so doing what he loved most.

In a story posted on Instagram, the older sister of retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a post from "Dale Earnhardt Fan Army," who posted a picture of the 2010 NASCAR Hall of Famer with a quote that read:

"You ask me about tragic accidents? If I am on my tractor at my farm and it rolls over on me and kills me, that's a tragic accident. If I die in a race car, that's life. I died doing what I love."

While sharing the post, Kelley, who is the chief executive officer of Jr. Motorsports, added her own caption, noting that her father often shared this sentiment with the family.

"This is exactly what he always told us."

(Image via Kelley Earnhardt's Instagram)

Earnhardt Sr. tragically lost his life in a heartbreaking last-lap crash during the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001. The 49-year-old was battling for third place with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader as they approached the final turn. In a fateful moment, Marlin's #40 Coors Light Dodge made contact with Earnhardt's #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet, sending the latter careening into the outside wall and colliding with Schrader's #38 M&M's Pontiac. The impact was devastating, claiming the life of the legendary Earnhardt Sr. instantly.

Michael Waltrip went on to win his first Cup Series race in his 462nd start that day, while Earnhardt Jr. finished second. Both cars were owned by Earnhardt Sr. as part of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

Earnhardt Jr. went on to win 26 races, including two Daytona 500 wins, across his 18-year Cup Series career. The North Carolina native won two Xfinity Series championships in 1998 and 1999 while driving for his father's team.

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Dale Jr. posted a photo of himself and his dad at Bristol from 1981

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took a nostalgic trip down memory lane on Saturday when he shared a heartwarming photo on his personal X account. The image captured a young Earnhardt Jr. standing on a stack of tires, beside his legendary father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., at Bristol in 1981. Jr. posted the photo in response to NASCAR Classics sharing a picture of Sr.'s wrecked race car from that same day. Jr. recalled how an unfortunate incident with Mike Potter on pit road had cut short his father's day. Earnhardt Jr. wrote:

"As unfortunate as it was, it presented the opportunity for this photo. One of my favorites."

Earnhardt Jr. stepped away from full-time Cup Series competition in 2017, but still occasionally races in the Xfinity Series. He made his return to the circuit last night at Bristol, where he finished seventh.