“We don’t compromise who we are”: When Kelly Earnhardt opened up on the values her dad instilled in her

NASCAR Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship - Source: Imagn
Kelley Earnhardt Miller in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship - (Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Kelley Earnhardt Miller is the daughter of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the elder sister of Dale Jr. She has been instrumental in running the JR Motorsports team and has played a key role in preserving the Earnhardt legacy, guided by the values instilled by her father.

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Earnhardt Miller was a racer, having competed in Late Models. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, she has managed Dale Jr.'s finances and brand throughout his career. She also serves as the co-owner of the championship-winning Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports.

In a 2012 interview with Jacksonville.com, Kelley Earnhardt Miller shared how her father instilled in her the importance of not compromising her identity. In a world where winning is everything, she learned not to define herself by success or financial gain but by maintaining integrity.

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"That's not what my dad wanted. It's not about winning; it's about not compromising who you are. That's something we don't do. We are who we are and we don't compromise that. Our dad would be proud," she said.

The interview took place during Dale Jr.'s tough spell with Hendrick Motorsports, during which he remained winless since 2008 and did not register his next victory until 2011. Addressing the dry spell, she revealed that her father never wanted them to be solely focused on winning; instead, he wanted them to be happy and true to themselves.

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"There's a lot of talk about him not winning. In all honesty, that's not what my dad wanted. He wanted us to be happy; he wanted us to be true to ourselves," she added.

Kelley Earnhardt Miller added that her most cherished memories of her father don't include the race wins or championship triumphs but rather the person he was and how he made others feel. She aspires for herself and Dale Jr. to leave behind a similar legacy.

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Kelley Earnhardt on the Earnhardt name returning to the Cup Series

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller celebrate in victory lane after Justin Allgaier clinched the 2024 Xfinity Series title - Source: Getty
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller celebrate in victory lane after Justin Allgaier clinched the 2024 Xfinity Series title - Source: Getty

Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Jr. fielded their first NASCAR Cup Series entry in the 2025 Daytona 500. Reigning Xfinity Series champion, Justin Allgaier drove the #40 JRM Chevy and secured a top-10 result in the team's maiden Cup Series venture.

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During the Daytona 500 weekend, Earnhardt Miller shared her thoughts on the Earnhardt name returning to the Cup Series and the responsibility of carrying the legacy built by their father. In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR radio, she said:

"It means a lot, because its really all we ever wanted to do. We were taught at a early age that this is what we do, we are racers, we are a racing family."
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"Most of all, I feel like we owe it to the fans. We owe it to the fans of the sport to continue what really my dad built in his time. That's really when the sport gained its wings and just went flying through and growing. There's a responsibility for us to kind of continue to carry that on," the 52-year-old JRM co-owner added.
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The 52-year-old mother of three also hoped that her children would continue the Earnhardt legacy when she can no longer.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar
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