The festive season has arrived at our doorstep, and NASCAR is ready for the joyful part of the off-season. The championship weekend ended three weeks ago, and the emotions surrounding the results are already beginning to settle. The relaxed mood is the perfect setting for embracing the traditions of Thanksgiving – and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wife, Amy, is meticulously prepared.

Thanksgiving, commemorating a harvest festival celebrated by the pilgrim fathers in 1621, focuses on delectable cuisine. Ranging from roasted turkey to sweet potato pie, the lip-smacking dishes are plenty. And Amy Earnhardt has specific tastes in that regard.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s better half avoids one dish

There is always that one meal that makes one’s stomach turn inside out. Everyone has their own pick of such a dish, and for Amy Earnhardt, it is a dessert made from a particular winter squash – pumpkin pie. It happens to be a staple dessert of Thanksgiving, but that does not bother Amy. She said in a ‘Bless Your Hardt’ episode, “There’s one thing I don’t like, and that’s pumpkin pie. Dale ate some pumpkin pie earlier today, and I was like, Ughh.” She continued, “It’s the smush. Yeah, it’s the texture of it. I can’t handle (it). It smells lovely, but no, I don’t want to eat that.”

Instead of pumpkin pie, Amy Earnhardt prefers the main course, and especially the side dishes. “I always like the sides. I mean, I like the turkey, but I’m a sides girl. Like I like the mashed potatoes and the corn and all the stuff.” The preparation for the turkey is also special, and resonates with the Earnhardt family’s 2024 celebration. “Just roast in the oven. Last year, we’re going to do the same as last year. Last year, we brined it, and then we covered it in a cheesecloth with like mayonnaise and butter. Oh, it roasted up very nicely. Yeah. So, we’re going to do that again.”

This reflects Amy Earnhardt‘s meticulous tastes, something which has always been evident. When she first appeared on the Dale Jr. Download, fans liked her commentary specifically because of her bold, intelligent opinions. And that is also how she and Dale Earnhardt Jr. decided to launch their own podcast, ‘Bless Your Hardt’ from January 2025 onwards.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also revealed a unique add-on to the Thanksgiving meal in his household. Amy’s wasabi-spike devilled eggs take it to the next level. “Amy’s recipe’s got wasabi in it, and it’s got soy sauce in it. And she makes the deviled egg part. She mixes some wasabi in there, but the part that’s perfect is right before you put the filling in the egg white; she puts a drop of soy sauce in the egg white. And so when you put the filling in there, the soy sauce covers all the interior of that egg white. And it’s amazing.”

Delicious aromas will waft from the Earnhardt household this season. And they may motivate Amy’s children to take up sports passions, as their father wishes.

Rooting for a tough lady

As we all know, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a NASCAR icon. Holding 26 Cup Series victories and a popular fanbase, he is a leading statesman. Then there is his father, the legendary Dale Earnhardt, who won 7 Cup Series championships. So naturally, Dale Jr.’s children would get some of those tough sportsman traits. Although neither Nicole nor Isla has shown much interest in organized sport yet, Dale Jr. has hopes. He described Nicole as “really physical, tough, mean, gritty. And if anybody’s going to do any kind of sports, it’ll probably be her.”

Hailing from a male-dominated world of racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. displayed noble fatherhood values. He wants his daughters to be tough leaders in sports: “I’d love to be a girl dad taking her to games and stuff like that. That’d be awesome. I’m happy and proud of them and dance and all that stuff, but it’s not my cup of tea, obviously. It’s not something I’m going to go sit really, truly get into like Amy might.” Nicole has already shown her talents; she competed in a footrace around an oval and crossed the line first without blinking.

Evidently, the Earnhardt household is packed with energy and prospects. For now, a hearty Thanksgiving dinner would gear them up for a lovely Christmas season.