Team’s Collapse Still Haunts Teresa’s Legacy
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has officially had the last laugh in his long-standing feud with his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt. The NASCAR Hall of Famer just saw his team, JR Motorsports, clinch its 100th Xfinity Series victory, a clear marker of success after the collapse of Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI).
Back in the early 2000s, Dale Jr. was a rising star at DEI, but things turned sour in 2007. After failing to reach a deal that would give him and his siblings equal control of the company, Dale Jr. announced he was leaving the team. That triggered a domino effect, Budweiser and the U.S. Army pulled their sponsorships, and DEI eventually merged with Chip Ganassi Racing. By 2014, the DEI name was gone for good.
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Dale Jr.’s Team Hits Major NASCAR Milestone
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has officially had the last laugh in his long-standing feud with his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt. The NASCAR Hall of Famer just saw his team, JR Motorsports, clinch its 100th Xfinity Series victory, a clear marker of success after the collapse of Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI).
Back in the early 2000s, Dale Jr. was a rising star at DEI, but things turned sour in 2007. After failing to reach a deal that would give him and his siblings equal control of the company, Dale Jr. announced he was leaving the team. That triggered a domino effect, Budweiser and the U.S. Army pulled their sponsorships, and DEI eventually merged with Chip Ganassi Racing. By 2014, the DEI name was gone for good.
Meanwhile, JR Motorsports, co-owned by Dale Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller has only grown. With young phenom Connor Zilisch securing the win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the team’s 100th Xfinity victory cemented its status as a force in modern NASCAR.
Teresa, Dale Sr.’s third wife, has remained a controversial figure in the NASCAR world. Her strained relationship with her late husband’s children hasn’t helped, nor did her failed 2016 lawsuit against Kerry Earnhardt over using the family name in his “Earnhardt Collection” business. Courts ruled that last names can’t be trademarked, and Kerry walked away with the win.
As NASCAR continues to evolve, it’s clear which Earnhardts are carrying the torch. And it’s not Teresa.
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