Dale Earnhardt’s grandson Jeffrey surprised after making Charlotte Truck race

Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s grandson Jeffrey Earnhardt has expressed his astonishment after qualifying for the NASCAR Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The part-time Xfinity Series driver marked his return to Truck racing after over a decade since his last run in 2011.

The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 marked the 11th Truck race on the calendar. Jeffrey Earnhardt is currently running part-time in the Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing, fielding the #26 Toyota. He debuted in the 2009 Truck Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The American called off his Truck racing stints two years later, with his last run at the Coca-Cola 250 hosted by the Talladega Superspeedway.

After over a decade-long hiatus, Dale Earnhardt's grandson has returned to Truck Series racing, driving the #67 Toyota Tundra for MBM Motorsports. However, after putting in lackluster practice and qualifying runs, Jeffrey didn't foresee his name in the 134-lap race. Despite outperforming five trucks, the North Carolina native was shy of dominating over two more trucks.

The North Carolina native got locked in for the main race, courtesy of Daniel Dye's throttle issue and Tyler Ankrum's spin during the qualifying run, paving the way for Dale Earnhardt's grandson's return to the Truck Series.

After witnessing the last-moment turnaround which guaranteed his spot in the race, Jeffrey Earnhardt told motorsports reporter Toby Christie about his astonishment:

"I don’t know. I must be living right or something. A couple of guys had some misfortune, and it worked out in our favor, and we made the show. I can’t say I wasn’t hoping for misfortune for other drivers, but man, it’s definitely an honor to come back to the Truck Series, make the race," the 34-year-old.

"After the way our practice went, I thought the chances were pretty slim. I knew our qualifying lap wasn’t that great. If we can get the truck off the ground, I think we’ll be alright.," he added.

Dale Earnhardt's grandson's maiden Truck Series return suffers a big setback

Nick Sanchez aced the 134-lap dash on the Charlotte Motor Speedway, coming home with his second Truck Series win this season. After emerging victorious at the season-opener Fresh From Florida 250 at the Daytona International Speedway and finishing on the podium a couple of times, the #2 Chevy driver reclaimed his dominance in Charlotte.

On the contrary, Jeffrey Earnhardt's run suffered woes early on. Due to unapproved adjustments on the #67 Truck, the 34-year-old was sent to the rear of the pack and joined other violators; Lawless Alan, Christian Eckes, and Tyler Ankrum.

Furthermore, 34 laps into the race Dale Earnhardt's grandson suffered another violation. Subsequently, Jeffrey finished Stage 1 in 34th place but climbed one spot during the second stage, finishing 33rd.

However, the final stage saw him plummet as he finished last, placing his truck in the 36th spot and 69 seconds shy of the race winner.