In a family that virtually built NASCAR’s legacy, would it be a surprise if the next generation also followed in the footsteps of their grandparents? Carrying the Earnhardt name, racing was in Jeffrey’s blood. A fourth-generation racer whose career started on the dirt tracks of Wythe Raceway, it’s a surprise not to see the Intimidator’s grandson not featured in the top tier of NASCAR more frequently. For 2024, that’s about to change since Jeffrey Earnhardt is set to take the wheel of Sam Hunt Racing’s part-time No. 24 entry.

Earnhardt will be joining rookie Dean Thompson, who will be running full-time in the No. 26 for SHR. Seeing him return has fans extremely happy!

Across six races in the last season, he battled fiercely, securing a hard-earned top-10 finish at Atlanta in February. Not stopping there, he also made an appearance in the Truck Series, piloting the No. 67 Toyota Tundra for MBM Motorsports in a single race in 2024. Earnhardt made six starts for the team last season. Over the years, he has made 15 career Xfinity Series starts with SHR, achieving a personal best of seventh at Nashville in 2022. His career till now has 174 Xfinity Series, and 76 Cup Series starts under his belt. The most impressive run came at Talladega in 2022. This is when he drove Richard Childress’ iconic No. 3 to the pole position and finished second after leading 10 laps.

For the 2025 season, Earnhardt is back in a part-time role. The official announcement from Bob Pockrass read, “Jeffrey Earnhardt will do a part-time Xfinity schedule with Sam Hunt Racing. First race will be Talladega. ForeverLawn will be sponsor.”

In a recent interview, speaking of the opportunity, an ecstatic Earnhardt said, “I’m very excited to have ForeverLawn back as a partner this year. They are family to me, and I know [team owner] Sam [Hunt] and everyone on the team feels the same way. They continue to grow the company and launch incredible products in the synthetic turf world. After last season’s races with the Sam Hunt team and the speed they showed, it only made sense to run it back. I can’t express how thankful I am to be able to drive their cars.”

As the grandson of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and son of Kerry Earnhardt, Jeffrey has long been working to establish himself in the sport. While he has been shown strong potential on Superspeedways, he is still searching for a full-time opportunity to solidify his place in the NASCAR ranks.

Fans react positively to Earnhardt’s comeback

In 2022, Jeffrey Earnhardt competed at the Bristol Motor Speedway in the No. 26 GR Supra. This was when he had claimed one of his career bests with a 12-place finish. Citing the same, a fan commented, “Hope he runs Bristol again. He always does well there.” What is even more interesting is that his sponsor at the time was none other than ForeverLawn!

Another fan showered some best wishes on him and the journey he is taking up for the 2025 season. The comment read, “Good, I hope he does well.” What makes Jeffrey Earnhardt so likable in the NASCAR community is his grit. Although his uncle Dale Jr. runs the JR Motorsports team, Jeffrey refused to run with them as a point to prove that he’s not just some guy carrying the Earnhardt name, but someone who can live up to the Intimidator’s legacy. He said, “I like working hard for what I got and to have just someone give me a ride that’d be cool. But I’m just not gonna go begging for a ride, you know, work hard and earn just like my grandfather did.” 

Hyping him up for an even better run for this season, a fan wished him, “I’m happy for Jeffrey!” What makes his journey to Xfinity even more special is the commitment he’s shown to racing. While some drivers might find the financial rewards appealing, for Jeffrey, racing is more than that. Simply put, for Jeffrey Earnhardt, “I love it and I tell everybody it’s an addiction that you get hooked to with adrenaline rush of just going out there and being competitive.:

Throughout his motorsport career, Jeffrey has been able to accumulate some loyal fans who have been with him throughout. Sharing the same sentiment, a fan hyped him saying, “Let’s gooooooooo!” From the comment section of the official announcement, it is evident that fans are excited to see him back. Yet another fan had added to the excitement and commented, “Hell yeah.” With fans rallying behind him and the energy building up for his return, all eyes will be on Earnhardt to see if he can turn this momentum into a breakout season.