Who inherited Dale Earnhardt's money after his passing? Everything we know

When Dale Earnhardt Sr. passed away in 2001, controversy regarding the late driver’s estate began. Most of it was transferred to his wife Teresa including full ownership of the now-discontinued Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) race team.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. passed away during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. The Intimidator was trailing his son Earnhardt Jr. when his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was hit by Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. The crash took the 49-year-old driver's life.

After the crash, DEI had struggled to get in front of the field with Teresa Earnhardt at the helm. Take a look at the infamous inheritance of the late driver’s money and properties to his wife.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. had no will written for his children when he passed

With the untimely death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Daytona International Speedway, the driver wasn’t able to write a will for handing his properties to his children. Instead, the assets were transferred to Teresa, following a will he prepared in 1992.

For the uninitiated, Teresa is the late driver’s third wife and stepmother to Dale, Kelley, and Kerry Earnhardt. The relationship between Teresa and Dale’s children has been openly hostile, with Kelley saying that their family environment lacked a ‘family loving situation’ growing up.

In an interview with Earnhardt Jr.’s former crew chief and cousin Tony Eury Jr., on his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Eury Jr. said the former driver demanded a 51-percent stake in DEI from his stepmother. She refused the proposal and continued managing the team.

Earnhardt Jr. then left the team in 2007 and drove for Hendrick Motorsports the following year. The former Cup driver also introduced the JR Motorsports team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which he co-owns with sister and manager Kelley, and former team boss Rick Hendrick.

With Earnhardt Jr. out of the team, Teresa closed the team and merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009. However, the partnership was discontinued in 2014. DEI was out of the sport but still operates to this day as a company that holds the rights to Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s name.

When Kelley Earnhardt Miller was interviewed by former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace earlier this year, she claimed Teresa didn’t want what their father wanted for them when the late driver opened DEI.

“Knowing that's what our dad wanted for us and that we were letting a piece of that down even though he wasn't here to talk with us about it, but we knew in our hearts that was like a letdown. Because we knew. But then we knew that Teresa here didn't want that for us,” Earnhardt Miller said.

What were the estates transferred to Teresa Earnhardt?

According to Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s will, on file, in Iredell County Superior Court, Teresa inherited 100 percent ownership of DEI, a $300,000 Iredell County home, a Catawba County Chevrolet dealership, and about $200,000 in cash. She also received 11 cars, including a 1955 Chevrolet 210 Del Ray.

The full details of the late driver’s properties were scarce, with some reportedly remaining a secret as they were willed to a trust.