Kelley Earnhardt (L) with Skirts & Scuffs editor Rebecca Kivak at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. (Photo courtesy Rebecca Kivak)
While the record book will show Marcos Ambrose won today’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Zippo 200 at the Glen — and no, just because Zippo sponsored Ambrose’s car does not mean the fix was on — it will also note veteran Canadian road racer Ron Fellows finished sixth, while fellow Canadian J.R. Fitzpatrick finished an impressive eleventh in his second Nationwide race.
The connecting factor between the two?
Other than their being Canadian, that is.
They were both driving JR Motorsports cars.
In which they were placed by Kelley Earnhardt.
There are multiple names connected with JR Motorsports. Certainly Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s is best known. The contributions of Rick Hendrick, along with Tony Eury and Tony Eury Jr., are strong contributing factors. However, ultimately the organization’s success has stemmed from its central figure, one who while not shunning the spotlight also does not demand attention. Namely, Kelley.
In a perfect world, Kelley Earnhardt would be known as much for her race car driving ability as her business savvy. Regrettably, her on the track career never came to full fruition. She instead turned her attention in much the same direction her father did in the latter portion of his life, that being learning the business side of things. And learn them she has.
Owners often bear as much criticism for a driver or team’s performance woes as the driver or team themselves, while receiving insufficient credit when the right people are brought together. For example, Rick Hendrick has been lambasted by the Junior Nation for the struggles of the #88 team. Yet this is the same man who not only had the wisdom to put Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus together, he also none too gently ripped both of them a new one when early on in the relationship there was far more sniping at each other than celebrating with each other taking place. You don’t think he’s trying to find a solution to what ails Dale Jr.’s team? You’re wrong. But I digress; back to Kelley.
You know things are rough in NASCAR when even the Earnhardt name can’t secure full-time sponsorship for either of the two cars it runs in the Nationwide series. Despite this, Kelley has managed to find sufficient sponsorship, plus juggle a number of drivers, to where JR Motorsports has been able to keep moving forward. It doesn’t hurt that one of the drivers who occasionally takes a turn in the #7 car is… oh, what’s that name again… right, Paul Hospenthal’s wife.
You know — Danica Patrick?
Returning to the theme of owners taking blame along with acclaim, while most every one in the garage endures their share of flak, seldom if ever is anything negative said about Kelley Earnhardt. Why? Primarily because her savvy is evident for all to see. She engineered Danica’s entry into NASCAR, which despite the snarks of assorted media haters has gone as well as it could possibly be expected to go for a part-time, first-year experiment. One suspects she had a huge part in bringing the disparate individuals and businesses together that facilitated her brother’s winning run this past July in the Nationwide race at Daytona, flying his and her father’s number and colors. Finally, she oversees the business affairs of her brother, which given how regardless of his present on-track difficulties he is NASCAR’s shining star, would be enough to drive most people into an insane asylum with the sheer volume of demands on all involved. Kelley pulls it off with aplomb.
In a sport where brickbats are hurled at all with seemingly more frequency, and definitely more force, than bouquets are tossed it’s refreshing to see someone about whom seldom is heard a discouraging word. Kelley Earnhardt is such a person. NASCAR is all the better for her presence.
As are its fans.
