Wyatt Miller Takes His First Limited Late Model Victory

Dale Earnhardt's grandson (13) #Wins at Hickory Motor Speedway.

 

NASCAR has a new member of the Earnhardt dynasty making a name for themselves after Wyatt Miller took his first Limited Late Model race victory at Hickory Motor Speedway.

 

Miller, 13, is the son of Kelley Earnhardt-Miller, the son of the great Dale Earnhardt and sister of his legendary son Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

The Earnhardt family remains iconic in NASCAR, with Amazon Prime Video releasing a docuseries on the late Dale Sr. on Memorial Day Weekend, while Dale Jr. and Kelley could take their JR Motorsports team to the Cup Series after taking part in the Daytona 500.

 

But the family legacy now has a new name making waves on the tarmac after Miller took the checkered flag at the historic 0.363-mile oval known as the 'Birthplace of the NASCAR stars'.

 

Miller was making just his second start and started on pole. He led early on in the 40-lap race before Zach Bringer took the lead until his engine blew up on Lap 32.

 

Miller then took the lead and held off Aiden King on the final lap to come out on top in his No.73 car, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops.

 

"We had a really good car," Miller said in Victory Lane. "I was catching Zach, and then he blew up. I think Aiden tried to rattle my cage, but it didn't work."

 

The future is unfolding right before you.

At a track with so much history to the Earnhardt legacy, @wyattwmiller73 , the grandson of Dale Earnhardt, scored his first limited late model win last night at @hickoryspeedway in just his second limited late model start. pic.twitter.com/kxWtPo809E

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) March 23, 2025

 

source: MSN Sports Media

After the 1983 season, Dale Earnhardt Sr. returned to Richard Childress Racing, replacing Ricky Rudd in the #3.  Wrangler sponsored the team. During the 1984 and 1985 seasons, Earnhardt Sr. occupied victory lane six times, and  finished fourth, then eighth in the season standings, respectively.

Team Owner Richard Childress considered the legendary NASCAR Driver a great personal friend. In the thirteen years since Dale Earnhardt died in a wreck at the 2001 Daytona 500, Childress honors that relationship by sending a beautiful bouquet of flowers to Martha Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt's mother each and every month. 

Richard & Judy Childress have sent our grandmother Martha flowers every month since dad passed. 13 yrs. #Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/ZuYWQxCk0y
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) November 30, 2014

Happy Birthday Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver and team owner, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR. Earnhardt began his career in 1975 when he drove in the 1975 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as part of the Winston Cup Series (later the Sprint Cup Series).

Earnhardt won a total of 76 races over the course of his career, including one Daytona 500 victory in 1998. He earned seven NASCAR Winston Cup Championships and his aggressive driving style earned him the nickname "The Intimidator."

He also carried the title of “Dad.”

In 1995, Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s hero card featured his three children Kerry (then 25), Kelly (then 22), and Ralph Dale Jr. (then 20). The Earnhardt children are the third generation of racers and were just beginning their racing career. Like their father, Dale Sr. and their grandfather, Ralph racing was in their blood.

Today would have been Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. sixty-third birthday. Happy Birthday to "The Intimidator."

Earnhardt's Granddaughter to Race as No. 3

Twelve-year-old Karsyn Elledge proud to carry on family's tradition in racing

SONOMA, Calif. -- Her name and car number are familiar signs of racing success, and Dale Earnhardt's 12-year-old granddaughter Karsyn Elledge announced plans Saturday to enter the family business full throttle.

Wearing a bright pink SpongeBob SquarePants driving suit, the petite eighth-grader stood in the Sonoma Raceway Winner's Circle and proudly unveiled the new No. 3 Nickelodeon-sponsored pink Mini Outlaw sprint car she'll use barnstorming the West Coast for her summer vacation.

Elledge has been racing for four years and has dominated the Mini Outlaw Box Stock class at her local Millbridge, N.C., short track, winning five of eight races this season. Her father, former Sprint Cup Series crew chief Jimmy Elledge, felt it a good idea to test her elsewhere, and the Nickelodeon sponsorship cemented the deal.

"It's very fun and not just because it's my family's thing," Elledge said of racing. "It's interesting and so much fun. And, I'm thankful for the opportunity."

As for the famous car number that donned her grandfather's championship cars, Elledge said, "I definitely am proud of the No. 3. I didn't get to witness what went on with this number, but I've only heard how great it was and I'm excited to carry on."

While Elledge comes from a lineage of racing royalty -- her mother is Earnhardt's daughter Kelley and her father is a former Cup winning crew chief -- she couldn't be more down to earth.

For someone on a first-name basis with Danica Patrick and who calls the sport's Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., 'uncle,' Elledge seems very much a typical pre-teen.

And that includes her list of heroes.

"(Danica Patrick) is like my idol because she's a girl and she races and she shows that girls can do it, too. That's why I like her," Elledge said. "She always asks me how my racing's going and wishes me luck. It's always fun when I talk to her because … she's Danica Patrick."

When Elledge isn't racing she said she spends time on her phone or computer, likes to ride her bike and visit with her horse. She insists her classmates in school don't pay much attention to her racing.

And Elledge couldn't be more humble about her early success and promising future.

"I've been to Victory Lane a couple times and I've had some not-so-good nights too," Elledge said smiling.

Her father got a bit emotional during the announcement, looking over to his daughter and acknowledging, "I guess she's growing up."

"You think, 'wow, this is a 12-year-old kid,' and you realize life is progressing faster than you think.

"I did not expect it. I took her to a race with me and she thought they were cool cars, and ignored her about it, but she kept asking and kept asking. So we got her a car. I didn't know if she'd stick with it or even be competitive at it. And we've evolved to this today."

Source: Holly Cain, NASCAR.com

Father's Day is a day honoring fathers and celebrated on the third Sunday of June. This special day celebrates both fatherhood and the importance of male parenting. Of course my favorite NASCAR Father / Son Duo would have to be my very own husband and son.

Moses Smith and his father Paul

"My earliest memories are of my dad working on his street/drag car or building his sand rail in the garage," Moses said. "He was always involved in motorsports as a hobby and I thought it would be cool if I could do it for a living," Smith said.

Paul has always been an all-encompassing family man and constant source of support for his two sons. Moses started working with his father, in a race team garage by the age of three.

However, for second place, the Earnhardts and Pettys tie as favorite NASCAR Fathers and Son.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. & Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

(photo credit = msn.foxsports.com)

Dale Sr. won a record-tying seven NASCAR championships during his career; his 76 wins place him fourth of all time. His career was highlighted by his memorable first victory at the Daytona 500 in 1998. (Sadly, the driver of the No. 3 car died after a crash on the final lap at Daytona in 2001.)

Dale Jr. has carried on his father's driving legacy, making his debut on the Winston Cup circuit in 2000. In 2003, he finished third in the championship standings, and in 2004, Dale Jr. won the Daytona 500 six years to the day after his father's victory there.

Cool fact: When Dale Sr. and sons Dale Jr. and Kerry all competed in the 2000 Pepsi 400, it marked just the second time a father had raced against two sons.

Lee & Richard Petty

Lee, Richard, Kyle, and Adam Petty
(photo credit = nascar.speedtv.com)

Lee Petty was NASCAR's first real superstar, winning three drivers' championships between 1954 and 1959. He also won the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990.

Richard Petty shares the record for most drivers' championships, having won seven between 1967 and 1979. He retired in 1992 with 200 career wins (the most ever) and joined his dad in the Hall of Fame in 1997. (Sadly, the Pettys suffered the loss of Adam Petty, NASCAR’s first fourth-generation driver on May 12, 2000. The young driver was practicing for the Nationwide Series at the New Hampshire International Speedway when his throttle stuck wide open, causing the car to hit the outside wall.)

Cool fact: Both Pettys were named among the Top 50 NASCAR drivers of all time in 1998.

Honorable Mention

Butch Gilliland, the 1997 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion and winner of 13 victories in the division. His then-crew chief, son David Gilliland, currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. David Gilliland still runs an occasional K&N Pro Series race. Butch must have raised him right, because David is one of the most polite and approachable drivers I have had the pleasure of meeting.

NASCAR Race Mom with a very nice David Gilliland at Sonoma Raceway (6/24/2011)

Cool fact:  David Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series, had a career-best second-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2013, pushing his teammate David Ragan to a surprising win.

Child, you outgrew my lap,
but never my heart.
Happy Father’s Day!

Earnhardt Family - HANS Device

From Kerry Earnhardt’s Facebook Page

“School project Kayla had to bring in a historical family artifact. This is a Hans Device. NASCAR implemented this after Dad's accident as Neck/Head support. This like all safety measures changed our sport today and has saved the lives of many drivers”

Kerry Dale Earnhardt (born December 8, 1969) is a NASCAR driver and the eldest son of seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.

At the 2001 Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001, Earnhardt was involved in a fatal racing incident. An autopsy concluded that Earnhardt died of blunt force trauma to his head.

The HANS device (also known as a head restraint and/or Head and Neck Support device) is a safety item compulsory in many car racing sports. It reduces the likelihood of head and/or neck injuries, such as a basilar skull fracture, in the event of a crash.

This mother of a race car driver is thankful to the Earnhardt family for their sacrifice.

On the Dew Crew with Dale Jr.

As a Mountain Dew Insider, and in the top ten of the “Dew Crew,” NASCAR Race Mom was invited to participate in an exclusive virtual press conference (via Google+ Hangout) with NASCAR Chase Driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 

Dew Crew Google+ Hangout with NASCAR Driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

If you are like me, you probably do not know much about the free Google+ Hangout Feature. However, it is much like Skype in a conference call format. Google+ Hangout is very intuitive and user friendly. 

My five fellow invited “influencers” and myself were allowed to ask two or three questions. I was amazed at how congenial Dale Jr. was and thoroughly enjoyed the event. Mr. Earnhardt Jr. made me feel very welcomed and valued! 

With the assist of my readers, NASCAR Race Mom picked two questions to ask the nine-time, NASCAR Sprint Cup Most Popular Driver: 

Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were teammates at the 2001 Rolex 24.
(Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images)

Question Two:

NASCAR Race Mom: What was the best piece of advice your father* gave you? 

Dale Jr.: One thing that was important to him was that we finish school. He dropped out of school in eighth grade at sixteen years old and even though he was able to have a successful career as a race car driver I think that he knew as he got older and understood just what he had done, I think he understood how limited and how the odds were stacked against him to have that type of career and have that kind of lifestyle so it was really important to him that myself and Kelly finished school and attempt to earn a degree in college. He was really glad that my sister went the extra mile to do that. I went to Mitchell, which is in Statesville, North Carolina, twenty minutes up the road and got an automotive degree because I wanted to work on cars, and at this time, when I graduated high school, driving race cars and being a race car driver for a living weren’t a guarantee. So I went and got an automotive degree to be a mechanic in a dealership, and that’s what I actually did for about four years. But, that’s what was most important, the standard stuff, stay away from drugs and alcohol and hanging around with the wrong crowd. He was always worried about us sort of getting mixed up in the wrong things and I just think he knew what the pitfalls in life were out there and how dangerously close we were to those and how easily affected and impressionable young kids are so he was really worried that we make the right choices at that age, but once we got done with college we got a lot of freedom, we made the choices we wanted to make and he wasn’t quite as concerned after that.

For Question One, click here to go to the NASCAR Race Mom blog. 

* Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001) is considered one of the best NASCAR drivers of all time. Earnhardt Sr. won a total of 76 races over the course of his career, including one Daytona 500 victory in 1998. He also earned seven championships as his aggressive driving style earned him the nickname "The Intimidator". 

A complete video of the event should be available soon.