Major Reveal About Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Reluctance To Enter The Cup Series – “Do our families want to remain in racing?”

The Earnhardt family has always been passionate about NASCAR, be it Dale Earnhardt Sr, Dale Earnhardt Jr, or Kelley Earnhardt Miller. And on several occasions, they have shared their vision of seeing the sport grow beyond its current boundaries. However, keeping up with that passion is not easy and sometimes not financially viable.

Kelley Earnhardt Miller is currently the Chief Executive Officer of JR Motorsports. And this means that she is the one who is responsible for all the major decisions in the organization. Including the ones related to procuring a charter to enter the Cup Series realm.

However, as much as the NASCAR fans and the Earnhardts want JR Motorsports to make a Cup Series debut, things aren’t looking that easy on the financial side of it all. Explaining how the dollars don’t make much sense, Kelley Earnhardt Miller told NBC Motorsports;

“We’re constantly talking about it. Obviously, there’s a lot to learn about what it means to go Cup racing, especially under the charter situation. The charter and the new car are supposed to change the dynamics on the costs, but I think the jury is still out on that. We’re still working through all that.”

Furthermore, Miller explained that there was more to it that just the financial aspects of it. She said that there is a life cycle that one needs to follow to get into Cup racing. She further revealed that she aims to just relax at some point in her life and spend time with her family and probably future grandkids.

READ MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr Disapproves of NASCAR’s “Murky” $20 Million Charter System, Hindering JRM’s Cup Entry

Miller explained; “I’m 50. I don’t want to do this forever. It’s a big investment to figure out how you make that work over the long haul. Do our families want to remain in racing? Do our kids want to take this on? Am I going to be 70 and doing this? I think people forget about this. “

Has Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kelley Earnhardt Miller given up on Cup Series?

No, not exactly. In her interview, Kelley mentioned that the biggest holdup for JR Motorsports right now is acquiring a charter. She revealed that the team is currently figuring out a way to strike the best deal that can allow them to enter Cup Series as soon as possible.

Furthermore, Dale Earnhardt Jr too revealed that acquiring a charter is a major issue that had delayed the team’s debut in the Cup Series. In September 2022, Earnhardt stated that JR Motorsports does not feel that investing $20 million in a charter is a wise decision for the company at the moment.

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Calling the Cup Series charter business a ‘real murky, muddy system,’ Earnhardt admitted that the team is all in to grab any opportunity that can lead them to the Cup Series. However, he did admit that the team would not be racing for the Cup in 2023.