The lanky body, the brown hair, the crinkles around his eyes, and the voice—no one wildly imagined they’d ever get to hear it or live it again. But then, there is Kerry Earnhardt, 54, the oldest of Dale Earnhardt’s four children, the child from the first of his father’s three marriages. Unlike his younger step-brother Dale Earnhardt Jr. who owes the majority of his career to Dale Sr., only Kerry here couldn’t say the same. Instead, key here was one of his crew members back in the days when he used to drive late model cars. 

“He raised me to be the way I am,” Kerry said. “He supported me in my first late-model car and he’s been behind me ever since.” In fact when someone from the crowd saw Kerry on the night of Coors Light 200 in 2004, they spilled their guts out, tearing up just at the sight of Kerry. So foreign was the name Dale Sr. as one of his own to Kerry that while thanking the stranger, he blurted out, “It’s pretty unbelievable how huge he was.” 

Kerry’s mother Latane Brown and Dale Sr divorced when Kerry was just a year old. Raised by his mother and stepfather, Jack Key, Kerry’s connection to their legendary father came much later—and under vastly different circumstances. In a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download, Kerry joined Dale Jr. to share his unique story: One that was shaped by a different reality; one in which the existence of his biological father was a secret carefully kept until he was a teenager.

“I was in nineth grade. I kind of knew there was something, but I just didn’t know what. I didn’t know about him. They didn’t talk about dad or tell me anything about dad. I kinda started asking questions. I found out that I was kind of adopted.” When Junior further enquired, “How’d you find that out?”

A chance comment from someone about his family’s history opened the door to a conversation that changed everything. “Somebody, I don’t remember who, but someone brought up the fact that Jack was my mom’s second husband […] My last name was Key, K-E-Y, back then,” Kerry spelled it out for the hosts. That offhand remark didn’t sit right with him, and it led him to ask his mom some hard questions. He continued,

“In the nineth grade, I started asking questions about where he [Jack Key] came into my life because I was older when they were when they got married. So, I’m like putting all this together or may be they had me or ‘When did you get married?’ Then mom told me I was adopted […] She was emotional. She didn’t tell me the whole story.

“She said, ‘We’ve had some rough times in our lives. And we got married early and things just didn’t work out.’ And then she met Jack and they kind of settled down and were more mature than when mom and dad got married.” True, Kerry had to wait until ninth grade when the truth began to unravel but it didn’t come with obstacles, obstacles that were only meant to protect him from getting hurt. Kerry admitted,

“I knew I had obstacles going through with my mom and Jack. It wasn’t talked about in our household. Jack wasn’t for me visiting with him or being in his life.” This is when a curious Junior intervened, and asked, “Why do you think Jack felt that way? Was he upset with dad?”

Kerry replied, “I don’t know. He [Dale Sr.] was starting his career when I was young. He was all the time going on the road and family time wasn’t an option. He was out there building his career… sometimes whenever you have something to chase like that, you kind of forget things back at home […] I think he [Jack Key] was more about me getting hurt […] ‘Where you’ve been and why now?’”

The timing added another layer of complexity. By the time Kerry began piecing everything together, Dale Sr. was at a pivotal moment in his career. It was the early 1980s, and Dale Sr. had already claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. For a teenager trying to make sense of his identity, the idea of connecting with such a public figure was daunting.

During this time, Kerry began to wrestle with the complexities of his family situation. He knew who his biological father was, but forging a relationship with Dale Earnhardt Sr. wasn’t as simple as picking up the phone or knocking on his door. Instead, Kerry had to wait, navigating his emotions and the complicated dynamics of his family until the time was right.

The Journey to Meet Dale Sr.

Kerry’s first contact with Dale Sr. came over the phone. While it was a significant moment, it wasn’t the same as meeting in person. And for Kerry, that meeting wouldn’t happen for another three years.

The delay wasn’t entirely under Kerry’s control. His stepfather, Jack Key, wasn’t supportive of the idea. “Jack wasn’t really for me visiting or being part of Dale’s life,” Kerry explained. “I think he was worried about me getting hurt.” Despite the obstacles, Dale Sr. made small efforts to connect, like sending Christmas gifts. But those gestures weren’t enough to bridge the gap for Kerry, who yearned for something more.

By the time Kerry turned 16, he decided to take the initiative. “I told Mom I was just going for a drive,” he recalled with a quiet laugh. Instead, he drove straight to his grandmother’s house, knowing Dale Sr. might be nearby.

Kerry spent two hours sitting in his car, summoning the courage to approach his father. Finally, he walked into the garage where Dale Sr. was working. The moment was simple but powerful. “He just looked up and said, ‘Hey, son,’” Kerry shared.

That meeting marked the start of a new chapter for Kerry. Over time, he began to build a relationship with the late-great Dale Sr. and bond with his siblings, including Dale Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt. It wasn’t always smooth, but it was meaningful.

Kerry got particularly close to Kelley Earnhardt when he first met his step-siblings, saying, “We bonded right off because she was a little older and closer to my age.” Dale Jr. also added, “She latched on to him,” emphasizing the strength of their bond since they first met.

For Kerry, the journey to connect with his father was never about rushing or forcing a relationship. It was about finding his place in the Earnhardt family and understanding a side of his life that had been hidden for so long. A side that involved siblings he never knew he had, which led him to form special relationships. But Kerry was not adamant about knowing everything. “I didn’t want to stir things up,” Kerry admitted. “I just wanted it to happen naturally.”

Now, years later, Kerry and Dale Jr. sit together not just as brothers but as two people who have navigated their own unique paths to understanding their father’s legacy. Through their conversation, they’ve offered fans a glimpse into the complexities of their family, proving that the Earnhardt story is about much more than just racing.