Kelley Earnhardt Miller

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Kelley Earnhardt Miller
Kelley Earnhardt Miller.jpg
Born
Kelley King Earnhardt

(1972-08-28) August 28, 1972 (age 51)
Occupation(s)Race team co-owner and manager
Employer JR Motorsports
TitleChief Executive Officer
Spouse(s) L. W. Miller III
Ray Holm (divorced)
Jimmy Elledge (divorced)
Children3
Parents

Kelley King Earnhardt Miller (née Earnhardt; formerly Earnhardt-Elledge; born August 28, 1972) [1] is an American businesswoman. She is the chief executive officer of JR Motorsports which she co-owns with her brother, Dale Earnhardt Jr. [2] and she is the daughter of Dale Earnhardt. The team's driver Chase Elliott won the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series title. In 2018, Tyler Reddick, another driver for JR Motorsports, won the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.

Contents

Racing career

Driving career

She learned how to drive from her father and she would drive a car around the family farm since she was about 12 or 13 years old. [3] Earnhardt Miller raced stock cars at local tracks. Her father Dale Earnhardt reportedly said that she might be the next great driver from the Earnhardt family because of what ESPN described as her "aggression, mental toughness, a willingness to push the car to its limit". [4] Her cousin Tony Eury Jr. said, "She was very good at what she did. I raced her several times over at Tri-County [Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C.]. We thought she probably had as much or more talent than any of them." [4] She raced more frequently at Hickory Motor Speedway and Myrtle Beach Speedway. [4] Her father hired Dale Jr. to work on her race cars, including building one from scratch, while the two were local race car drivers. [4] She raced after graduating from University of North Carolina at Charlotte and ended her racing career in 1996 until leaving on Friday's at 2 o'clock conflicted with working full-time at Action Performance. [4]

Team owner career

Earnhardt Miller co-owns JR Motorsports with her brother Dale Earnhardt Jr., her cousin Tony Eury Jr., and Rick Hendrick. [4] She is credited with bringing Danica Patrick to the team's Nationwide Series car. [4]

Other business interests

On July 29, 2019, agricultural company Brandt appointed Earnhardt Miller into the board of directors. Brandt is currently one of JR Motorsports' partners, sponsoring the No. 7 team. [5] [6]

Personal life

Earnhardt Miller with her husband L. W., Rick and Linda Hendrick, and William Byron at Daytona in February 2017 William byron, earnhardts, hendricks (32796779940).jpg
Earnhardt Miller with her husband L. W., Rick and Linda Hendrick, and William Byron at Daytona in February 2017

Kelley Earnhardt Miller was born to Dale Earnhardt and his second wife Brenda Lorraine Jackson (née Gee). [7] She has a younger brother, Dale Jr.; an elder half-brother, Kerry, from her father's first marriage; and a younger half-sister, Taylor Earnhardt-Putnam, from her father's third marriage.

Kelley's parents divorced shortly after Dale Jr. was born, and they lived with Brenda until their house was destroyed in a fire when she was eight years old. As Brenda had no financial support after the fire, she gave up custody of the two children to Earnhardt Sr. prior to his marriage to Teresa Houston. During her childhood, Kelley took care of Dale Jr. while their father and Teresa were busy with the race seasons. Three weeks after 12-year-old Dale Jr. was sent by his father and Teresa to a military school for delinquency, Kelley left high school to join him.

Kelley attended University of North Carolina Wilmington until transferring to University of North Carolina at Charlotte to be closer to home.

As soon as Dale Jr. started earning money in his racing career, Kelley offered to handle his finances. [8] [9]

She married Raymond Walter Holm Jr. on June 29, 2001, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. [10] They were divorced by 2004 in Iredell County, North Carolina. [11]

She was formerly married to Jimmy Elledge, [12] by whom she has two daughters. [7] After divorcing Elledge, she married former NASCAR driver L. W. Miller III [13] on January 22, 2011. The couple has one child. [14]

Kelley's daughter Karsyn Elledge participates in midget car racing. She scored her first win at Millbridge Speedway on April 19, 2018. [15] Karsyn made her first Chili Bowl start in January 2019. [16]

On April 22, 2019, Brenda Jackson, Earnhardt's biological mother, died at the age of 65 after years of battling cancer. She had served as an accounting specialist for JR Motorsports since 2004. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt</span> American racing driver (1951–2001)

Ralph Dale Earnhardt was an American professional stock car driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. His aggressive driving style earned him the nicknames "the Intimidator", "the Man in Black" and "Ironhead"; after his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the Cup Series circuit in 1999, Earnhardt was generally known by the retronyms Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Sr. He is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history and named as one of the NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers class in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt Jr.</span> American racing driver (born 1974)

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. is an American stock car racing driver, team owner and broadcaster. A third generation driver, he is the son of 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt and relative to many former and current drivers in the NASCAR ranks. Since retiring from full-time competition after the 2017 season, he has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro for his JR Motorsports team.

Kerry Dale Earnhardt is a former NASCAR driver and the eldest son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. He is the half-brother of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller. He was employed by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. as a consultant specializing in driver development until 2011. His younger son, Jeffrey Earnhardt, began racing for DEI in 2007 and currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Kerry Earnhardt is known for his physical similarity to his father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Beach Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Myrtle Beach Speedway, was built in 1958 and was located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chance 2 Motorsports</span> Former NASCAR team

Chance 2 Motorsports is a former NASCAR racing team that was founded by Teresa Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2003. Although connected with Dale Earnhardt, Inc., the race team founded by Dale Earnhardt and run by Teresa Earnhardt after his death, the two were separate operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Childress Racing</span> Auto-racing company

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by Richard Childress. In the Cup Series, the team currently fields three Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 teams: the No. 3 full-time for Austin Dillon, the No. 8 full-time for Kyle Busch, and the No. 33 part-time for multiple drivers. In the Xfinity Series, the team currently fields three Chevrolet Camaro teams: the No. 2 full-time for Jesse Love, the No. 21 full-time for Austin Hill and the No. 33 part-time for Kyle Busch. RCR has had at least one car successfully qualify for every Cup race since 1972, the longest such active streak, and is known for the longstanding use of the number 3 on its primary race car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teresa Earnhardt</span> American stock car racing team owner

Teresa Diane Earnhardt is a former NASCAR team owner. She is the third wife and widow of Dale Earnhardt. She is the biological mother of Taylor Nicole Earnhardt and the stepmother of Kerry Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JR Motorsports</span> American racecar team

JR Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, CARS Tour, and occasionally in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina, co-owned by former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Kelley’s husband and former racer L.W. Miller, and the owner of his former Cup Series team, Rick Hendrick. As of 2023, the team fields four full-time entries in the Xfinity Series: the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS full-time for Sam Mayer, the No. 7 Camaro full-time for Justin Allgaier, the No. 8 Camaro full-time for Sammy Smith, and the No. 9 Camaro full-time for Brandon Jones. The team also fields the No. 88 Camaro part-time for Bubba Pollard, Carson Kvapil, Connor Mosack, Connor Zilisch, and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Eury Jr.</span> NASCAR crew chief

Anthony Eury Jr. is an American professional stock car racing crew chief who works for The Money Team Racing as the crew chief of their No. 50 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NASCAR Cup Series, driven by Conor Daly. He is also the co-owner of Fury Race Cars, a prominent chassis builder in late model racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Earnhardt</span> American racing driver (born 1989)

Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 67 Toyota Tundra for MBM Motorsports. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt, and nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Bires</span> American racing driver

Kelly James Bires is an American professional stock car racing driver. He most recently drove part-time for Go Green Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. Previously, Bires drove competitively for JTG Daugherty Racing, JR Motorsports, and Braun Racing in the Nationwide Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway</span> Auto race held in Michigan, United States

Stock car racing events in the NASCAR Cup Series events have been held annually at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan since 1969. Traditionally, the track held two Cup Series races, one in June, around Father's Day weekend and another in August. The August race was not held in 1973 after track owner Roger Penske replaced the race with a Champ Car event. In 2020, both races were held over a single weekend in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the June race was dropped from the schedule as part of a realignment, with its place on the schedule being given to Texas Motor Speedway to host the All-Star Race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chase Elliott</span> American racing driver (born 1995)

William Clyde "Chase" Elliott II is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro for the same team. He won the 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, becoming the first rookie to win a national series championship in NASCAR and the youngest champion in that series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Bowman</span> American racing driver (born 1993)

Alexander Michael Warren Bowman is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro for the same team. He owns a Dirt Midget and Sprint car racing team Alex Bowman Racing. He is known for a record six consecutive front-row starts in the Daytona 500, from 2018 to 2023, winning the pole in 2018, 2021, and 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series</span> 35th season of second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series

The 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series was the 35th season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the second-tier professional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season started at Daytona International Speedway on February 20 and ended at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19. Daniel Suárez of Joe Gibbs Racing won the championship, becoming the first non-American to win a title in NASCAR's top 3 divisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Berry</span> American racing driver (born 1990)

Josh Berry is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart–Haas Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 15 Ford Mustang for AM Racing. Berry is noted for getting his start as a standout in Late Model Stock Cars with JR Motorsports from 2010–2023 where he became the all-time winningest driver in CARS Tour history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt, Inc.</span> Museum and former NASCAR team

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) is a museum in Mooresville, North Carolina. Formerly a race team founded by Dale Earnhardt and his wife, Teresa Earnhardt, it competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, the highest level of competition for professional stock car racing in the United States, from 1998 to 2009. Earnhardt was a seven-time Winston Cup champion who died in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Despite his ownership of the DEI racing team, Earnhardt never drove for his team in the Winston Cup; instead, he raced for his long-time mentor and backer Richard Childress at RCR. In the late-2000s, DEI suffered critical financial difficulties after drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip, and sponsors Anheuser-Busch, National Automotive Parts Association and United States Army left the team; DEI consequently merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009, moving their equipment into the latter's shop, while the former's closed down. Chip Ganassi Racing's NASCAR operations was subsequently purchased by Trackhouse Racing Team in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series</span> Sports season page

The 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series was the 38th season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Bojangles' Southern 500</span> Auto race

The 2019 Bojangles' Southern 500, the 70th running of the event was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on September 1-2, 2019, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Contested over 367 laps on the 1.366-mile (2.198 km) egg-shaped oval, it was the 25th race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

The NASCAR operation of Chip Ganassi Racing was established in 1989 by Cuban-American businessman Felix Sabates. The team was known as SABCO Racing, formed after Sabates purchased an R&D team from Hendrick Motorsports. The team was renamed Team SABCO in 1996. In 2001, Ganassi bought 80% of the ownership interest in the then-two-car team to form Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates; the same year the team switched from Chevrolet to full-works Dodge and received a same partnership treatment as Penske Racing, Evernham Motorsports, Bill Davis Racing, Melling Racing and Petty Enterprises teams. In 2009, Ganassi partnered with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. owner Teresa Earnhardt to merge their NASCAR operations into Ganassi's shop and entered under the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates banner, while returning to Chevrolet equipment. The NASCAR team dropped the Earnhardt name in 2014, and Ganassi revealed that Teresa was never truly involved with the team. Rob Kauffman, chairman of the Race Team Alliance, purchased a stake in the team in 2015. The NASCAR program has fielded full-time entries for notable drivers including Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek, Sterling Marlin, Jimmy Spencer, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, and Ross Chastain. After already having his name removed from the team previously, at the end of the 2019 season, Sabates announced his retirement as a co-owner from the team, taking effect after the 2020 season.

References

  1. "Kelley Earnhardt Miller". JR Motorsports. 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. "Learn more about JR Motorsports Co-Owner, Kelley Earnhardt Miller". JR Motorsports. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  3. Bruce, Kenny. "Behind the wheel with Dale Jr.'s sister". NASCAR . Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Newton, David (January 26, 2010). "Junior took a backseat to big sis Kelley". ESPN . Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  5. "BRANDT Adds to Board of Directors". Brandt. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  6. Page, Scott (July 30, 2019). "Kelley Earnhardt Miller appointed to BRANDT Board of Directors". Jayski's Silly Season Site . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Birthday Surprise for Kelley Earnhardt Miller". JR Motorsports . Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  8. Bensinger, Graham. "Dale Earnhardt Jr". In Depth with Graham Bensinger . GB Entertainment, LLC. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  9. Gumbel, Bryant. "Episode 258: Junior". Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel . HBO . Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  10. Web: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Marriage Index, 1829-2015
  11. North Carolina, Divorce Index, 1958-2004
  12. Iris Zalun. "Kelley Earnhardt in Nascar's Fast Lane". Working Mother. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  13. Gluck, Jeff (February 24, 2014). "Dale Jr.'s girlfriend on Daytona 500 win: 'Biggest win of his career'". USA Today . Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  14. Marusak, Joe (February 26, 2012). "Kelley Earnhardt gives birth to boy". The Charlotte Observer . Archived from the original on March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  15. "Karsyn Elledge wins race, plays hooky". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 19, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  16. "Karsyn Elledge set for first Chili Bowl start". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  17. "Brenda Jackson, mother of Dale Jr. and Kelley, dies at 65". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 22, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.