Bobby Dale Earnhardt Bio
Bobby Dale Earnhardt, born September 1, 1987, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 89 Chevrolet for Rise Motorsports, an organization that has also been referred to as Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing. A member of one of stock car racing’s most recognized family trees, Earnhardt has steadily built his own identity through years of work in lower-profile series and select national starts.
Based in the heart of NASCAR country, Earnhardt has competed in everything from short-track ARCA events to NASCAR’s top national touring divisions. He remains active on social media and continues to pursue a full-time ride at the national level while representing a well-known racing surname.
Early Life and Background
Bobby Dale Earnhardt was born on September 1, 1987, in Mooresville, North Carolina, a town widely recognized as a hub for professional stock car racing talent. Growing up in Mooresville placed him in close proximity to race shops, short tracks, and industry professionals, giving him an early window into the sport that would shape his career.
As a member of the Earnhardt family, he was introduced to racing at a young age through family connections and the deep stock car heritage that runs through his lineage. The environment in and around Mooresville provided him with regular access to race-related events, which helped nurture his interest in pursuing driving as a profession.
Path to NASCAR
Earnhardt began climbing the racing ladder in the ARCA Truck Series, where he competed from 2013 to 2016. His early efforts were recognized when he earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, a sign that he was capable of competing at a respectable level right out of the gate.
On May 21, 2017, he made his major stock car debut in the ARCA Racing Series at Toledo Speedway, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Hixson Motorsports. He started 24th and finished 21st after a crash on lap 165, gaining valuable experience in a higher-profile series. Later that same year, on September 8, 2017, he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the No. 40 Chevrolet for MBM Motorsports at Richmond International Raceway, qualifying 40th and finishing 34th in his first national-level NASCAR start.
Bobby Dale Earnhardt Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
Earnhardt’s earliest documented stock car work came in the ARCA Truck Series, a developmental series that helped him sharpen his race craft. Competing from 2013 to 2016, he gained experience on short tracks and learned the fundamentals of working with crews, managing tires, and finishing races.
His most notable accomplishment in this period came in his first full season, when he was named the ARCA Truck Series Rookie of the Year in 2013. That recognition laid the foundation for his transition into national-level stock car competition in 2017.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2017–Present)
Earnhardt’s ARCA Racing Series debut came in 2017 at Toledo Speedway with Hixson Motorsports. He made several additional starts that season, posting a best series finish of 49th in the points standings. He continued to make ARCA starts in subsequent years, and in 2025 it was announced he would return to the series at Bristol Motor Speedway.
On November 19, 2025, it was revealed that Earnhardt would run the full ARCA Menards Series schedule for Rise Motorsports in 2026, a program later branded as Rise Racing with Earnhardt-Shearer Racing. He also participated in the pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway, where he set the 35th quickest time across the two sessions. In the 2026 season opener at Daytona, he qualified seventh and finished ninth, earning his first career ARCA Menards Series top-ten finish. At the following race at Phoenix Raceway, he qualified 29th but did not finish after a multi-car accident on the opening lap.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Experience (2017–2019)
Earnhardt’s NASCAR Xfinity Series debut occurred in 2017 at Richmond International Raceway with MBM Motorsports, where he finished 34th. He had been scheduled for an earlier debut at Iowa Speedway in the same team’s No. 13 Chevrolet, but he failed to qualify for that race.
He went on to make additional Xfinity Series starts between 2017 and 2019, with his final recorded national NASCAR start coming in the 2019 Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 at Phoenix. Across his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career, his best points finish was 68th in 2019, with no wins, top tens, or poles recorded in the series.
Bobby Dale Earnhardt Career Wins
Across his documented career in the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Bobby Dale Earnhardt has not recorded a victory. His most significant on-track result to date is a top-ten finish in the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway, achieved in 2026.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Earnhardt’s best ARCA Menards Series points finish is 49th, recorded in 2017. His first top-ten finish came at Daytona in 2026, where he qualified seventh and finished ninth. He is also active in the ARCA Menards Series East, where he made his first start at Bristol Motor Speedway, and in the ARCA Menards Series West, where he debuted at Phoenix.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCA Menards Series | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bobby Dale Earnhardt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Bobby Dale Earnhardt comes from a four-generation stock car racing family. He is the eldest son of former driver Kerry Earnhardt and the eldest grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt. Through his paternal lineage, he is also the great-grandson of racer Ralph Earnhardt, giving him deep roots in the sport’s history.
Personal Life
He is the older brother of racing driver Jeffrey Earnhardt and the nephew of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. He also has a paternal half-sister, Kayla Earnhardt, and two maternal half-brothers, James Ray and David. Bobby Dale Earnhardt is married to Kimberly Earnhardt, and the couple have four children together, two sons and two daughters.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Bobby Dale Earnhardt’s racing activity centered on a return to the ARCA Menards Series. On September 1, 2025, it was announced that he would return to the series at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking a notable step back into national-level ARCA competition.
Later that year, on November 19, 2025, it was revealed that he would run the full ARCA Menards Series schedule for Rise Motorsports in 2026, a team that would later be rebranded as Rise Racing. He also participated in the pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway, where he set the 35th quickest time across the two testing sessions, providing an early benchmark for the upcoming season.
