“We hardly talk about our dad’s death”: Dale Earnhardt Jr’s sister Kelley Earnhardt shares insight on their sibling relationship

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, recently opened up about her bond and dynamic with her brother. Speaking on "Kenny Conversation", Kelley elaborated on how her sibling relationship with Junior is now, compared to when he was still a full-time NASCAR driver.

During their conversation, host Kenny Wallace asked Kelley a question about the dynamic between her and her brother Dale Jr. She revealed that until a decade or so ago, she could tell Junior what to do. The JR Motorsports co-owner said it was so because there were just the two of them, with Dale busy being a racecar driver, while she was handling the business.

"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 times 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. And my brother's wife, Amy, has really brought him into this world, like what's it like to answer to people, and to know people and have relationships with people, because in Dale's world, he was always used to being told what to do, sponsorships, driving, business, that was what drove it," she said. [39:50]

Kelley Earnhardt claimed that it started with their father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. She told Wallace that if one went to dinner with Dale Sr., they had to stand around the table and wait until they were told where to sit. She added that they were "always used to being told what to do."

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Kelley Earnhardt said she 'hurt' Dale Jr.'s feelings because of a misunderstanding

Further speaking about her relationship with Dale Jr., she revealed that in the last 10-15 years, they've had more disagreements than ever before, because now, it's not just about business.

"He's got a wife. He's got kids. There's just so many more things that he's aware of. And our business. Since he quit driving, he's very much involved in our business and I'll be like, I've always done it that way and you just didn't know," she said. [41:35]

She revealed that not long ago, she upset her brother by saying something that Junior misunderstood, as the words suggested something she didn't mean.

"'I've ran this business for 25 years, I don't really need you.' And I didn't mean that I didn't need him, because he's the reason I got into this business," she said.

Kelley Earnhardt explained what she meant was that all these years she'd been making decisions on the business front. So if now he wanted to be a part of the decision-making process, they could do it together. But if he didn't, he could just stay home and she'll "still get stuff done."

"It really hurt his feelings," she remarked.

However, they had a good talk about it, which Kelley claimed was "a good thing" now that they can talk about such things.