"He didn't spend a lot of time with us": When Kelley Earnhardt shared childhood memories of Dale Earnhardt after divorce

JR Motorsports co-owner, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, reminisced the memories of growing up with her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr. after their parent's separation. Kelley and Dale Jr. are children of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt's second marriage with Brenda Gee.

Speaking with Kyle Petty in an interview, Kelley mentioned that the Earnhardt siblings moved in with their father, 'The Intimidator', in 1981 after their parent's divorce. Until then Dale Jr. and Kelley lived with their mother. Kelley also shared a childhood memory of them during that time. She said (at 0:44):

"Dad was out, trying to do his thing. Trying to make it as a race car driver. Didn't pay much attention to the racing, it was all about going there and driving to Rockingham, driving to Martinsville, Darlington, you know, Hickory just places like that to play and wait for the other kids to get there and play and we hid Easter eggs at Martinsville."

During the conversation, former NASCAR driver Petty asked Kelley Earnhardt if the latter knew her father, the seven-time Cup Series champion, to be a professional racer. To which the 51-year-old Earnhardt Miller replied (at 1:29):

"He (Dale Earnhardt) didn't spend a lot of time with us. I don't really recall him really being a race car driver. He had the shop and we would go there I know he had race cars and I didn't really think much about what he did on the weekends or whatever, you know, we don't spend that much time with him doing that."

Kelley Earnhardt also elaborated on the memory of when she and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Jr. started living with their father in 1981, as mentioned earlier. After Dale Earnhardt's third marriage with Teresa Houston, Kelley stated that the situation changed as they had a 'full-time live-in nanny' living in their basement. Kelley also added (at 3:23):

"Then when my dad would be home, he got really into the farm and he was a big hunter and he did that a lot but he wouldn't come home sometimes until 8, 9 o'clock at night when it was bedtime for the kids, you had to go to school the next day so it was very different."

According to Dale Jr.'s sister, those were the "magical years" in Dale Earnhardt's career when he achieved the 1986 and 1987 Cup Series championships. Thus, adding it to his prolific racing career, piloting the famed #3 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing.

However, after Dale Earnhardt's tragic death in a crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500 race in 2001, Kelley and Dale Jr. continued their father's legacy in NASCAR. Kelley managed Dale Jr.'s racing career in his formative years, ultimately landing him a ride with Hendrick Motorsports. Also, co-owning JR Motorsports, which competes primarily in the NASCAR Xfinity Series among many others.

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Kelley Earnhardt opened up about her sibling bond with Dale Jr.

In a conversation with Kenny Wallace, Kelley Earnhardt talked about the bond she shares with her brother, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Kelley Earnhardt admitted that until a decade ago, she could tell the two-time Xfinity Series champion what to do. Dale Jr. focused on racing, meanwhile, Kelley handled the business aspect of it. The Kannapolis, North Carolina native Kelley also said (39:50):

"I was always just kind of the mother figure. We have a great relationship. But it's not like we ever spend a lot of time in each other's minds."

"When my dad died, we didn't even hardly talk about my dad's death. He did his things with his friends. I grieved in my way. We didn't sit down and talk about that. We do that a lot more often now, which I love," Kelley added.

According to JR Motorsports co-owner Kelley Earnhardt, Dale Jr. was always used to being told what to do in terms of sponsorship, business, and driving. Moreover, Kelley believes that Amy, Dale Jr's wife, has "really brought him into this world."