Racing runs in the Earnhardt family. And it looks like the next generation of superstars from the Intimidator’s bloodline is just around the corner. This season, the grandsons of the 7-time Cup Series champion are making some serious gains on the track. 13-year-old Wyatt Miller, the son of Kelley Earnhardt, is already making a name for himself in the fast lane, and in just his second Limited Late Model start at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Wyatt grabbed the pole, inherited the lead after a rival’s engine blew, and held off fierce competition to claim his first career win. But Wyatt isn’t the only Earnhardt making some bold moves. Jeffrey Earnhardt, another grandson of the legend, continues to race on the national stage with a part-time Xfinity Series program for Sam Hunt Racing in 2025. But this time, the Earnhardt legacy extended further with one grandson making it big in ARCA for 2026.

Bobby Dale Earnhardt extends his gratitude to Rise Motorsports

At 38, Bobby Dale Earnhardt continues to carry one of the most famous names in racing. He is the Intimidator’s grandson, Dale Jr.’s nephew, and Kerry Earnhardt’s son. And now he is ready to let it rip in one of the purest forms of racing.

On Wednesday, Bobby Earnhardt announced that he would be driving for Rise Motorsports next season. He is definitely fired up with the new opportunity, calling it a chance to build something strong heading into 2026. In a statement, he said, “I’m excited and truly humbled to share that I’ll be racing full-time with @risemotorsports in the 2026 @ARCA_Racing Series. This is a huge opportunity for me, and I’m thankful for God’s direction throughout the process of making this happen.” 

He ran three ARCA races in 2017 (best finish was 19th at Elko) before competing in two more earlier this year. Bobby Earnhardt has also made seven NASCAR Xfinity starts a few years ago, topping out at 27th at Kansas. But Bobby isn’t new to the ARCA scene in 2025. Earlier in September, he headed back to Bristol Motor Speedway. And now, two months after he has hit a career milestone. Apart from his stint at Bristol, the 38-year-old also made a start at Kansas, where it nearly ended due to a crash, as he finished 26th after starting 17th.

He added, “I want to give a big thank you to everyone at Rise Motorsports. The work this team has already put in, the belief they’ve shown in me, and the vision they have for the upcoming season mean a lot. I’m proud to be a part of what they’re building. To all the partners, supporters, and fans who’ve stuck by me, your encouragement has played a big part in keeping this journey moving forward. I’m grateful for every message, every prayer, and every bit of support along the way. I’m looking forward to getting to work and giving everything I’ve got in 2026 💪.”

Moreover, Rise Motorsports’ owner, Tim Goulet, is more than stoked to have Bobby in the mix. He said, “We’re thrilled to have Bobby join our program for the 2026 season. He’s hungry, he’s focused, and he connects with fans in a way that fits perfectly with the vision of our team. This is a big move for Rise Motorsports, and we’re ready to take the next step together.”

Looking ahead, Bobby’s hoping to follow the path of reigning ARCA champ Brenden Queen, who dominated with eight wins and nine more top-five finishes before moving up to the Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing. And who knows, in due time, the 38-year-old driver may join his uncle and aunt’s JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. But speaking of the brother-sister co-owners, Kelley Earnhardt dropped some major hints about a possible Cup Series future.

Kelley Earnhardt looks to continue her father’s Cup legacy

JR Motorsports is set to make a Cup appearance at the Daytona 500 next year with Justin Allgaier, but that leaves the organization with a deeper question: Is a full-time Cup Series run on the horizon?

Although JRM has traditionally focused on NASCAR’s second series, the team made big moves at the Cup Series Daytona race this year and made an impact. Justin Allgaier delivered a ninth-place finish in the No. 9 Chevrolet in their debut, a strong result that sparked real curiosity about what the Earnhardts might do next.

Kelley Earnhardt told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the outcome of the antitrust lawsuit case will shape JRM’s future discussions, saying, “Always still looking at opportunities and what that looks like and the Daytona 500, [as] it’s kind of a race your way in, it’s just a race that makes sense to where you can go down there, and it’s the biggest race of our season and the most opportunity financially to come out of there in a good place with a partner and with sponsorship and with the way the race is. So, that one just makes a lot of sense.”

Kelley Earnhardt has also stressed that she’s currently happy with the Xfinity Series program, after three of JR Motorsports’ drivers made the Championship 4 this year before dramatically losing the title to Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love.

Speaking of the potential fielding of cup cars, she said, “Would we like to be Cup racing? We certainly would. It’s something from a legacy standpoint, and everything that we built, I think it would be really cool for us to experience, but the right opportunity just hasn’t come forward yet.”

Heading into next season, JRM will field full-time entries for Sammy Smith, Carson Kvapil, and Justin Allgaier, with Connor Zilisch stepping in for Kvapil in select races. Rajah Caruth is expected to run part-time, while the second part-time entry features Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Shane Van Gisbergen. And if they do manage to see the light at the end of the tunnel for this plan, it would be the first time an Earnhardt team fields Cup cars since DEI’s exit in 2008, further strengthening the Intimidator’s legacy.