“I Didn’t Appreciate It Enough”—Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Nephew Opens Up on Everything It Took to Deal With “The Pressure of the Last Name”

Carrying the name of one of the greatest racing drivers of all time is no joke. Once it is established that you come from a family of someone as legendary as Dale Earnhard Sr, you are always in the limelight. Things worked out for Dale Earnhardt Jr, who went on to race in the Cup Series for quite a long period of time. However, it was Junior’s nephew who recently revealed all the things he had to go through to prove his mettle in the top flight of American motorsports.

During the latest episode of Dale Jr Download, Jeffery Earnhardt said, “I’ve always tried to do stuff on my own…I’ve always wanted to make sure like, I’m here because I bust my b*tt to be here, you know, not because I was handed something or given the opportunity.”

He went on to mention how he had the opportunity to drive a DEI car. However, he “didn’t realize” what he had at his disposal back then. He further mentioned, “You know, I didn’t appreciate it enough. So, moving forward from there, I wanted to make sure I earned what I got…But at the end of the day, I know I’ve busted my b*tt to get where I am. I got here because I worked hard. I feel like I’ve proven myself on the track, off the track.”

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Later on, he also mentioned how he has always set himself apart from everything. Just so that he could learn and do things independently. According to Jeffery, that is what helped with “the pressure of the last name.”

Who is Dale Earnhardt Jr’s nephew, Jeffery Earnhardt?

The 33-year-old driver from Mooresville, NC walked into the NASCAR scene more than a decade ago. He has run several races and seasons across Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and several other series with varying degrees of success.

Despite never winning any races in the top three series of NASCAR, he has continually worked towards improving his racecraft over the years. Jeffery is the son of Kerry Earnhardt and is the fourth generation of racing drivers coming out of the iconic Earnhardt family.

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Obviously, coming from a reputed racing family, the pressure always remains paramount. However, it feels good listening to the younger Earnhardt talk about how he manages that pressure. Hopefully, in the future, his determination would pay off and grant him much-deserved wins.