Kerry Earnhardt, son Jeffrey Earnhardt, to drive for Rick Ware in Nationwide Series
Kerry Earnhardt and his son, Jeffrey, will both drive a limited NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for Rick Ware Racing this season. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Rick Ware Racing announced Tuesday that the father-and-son duo of Kerry and Jeffrey Earnhardt will join its NASCAR Nationwide Series team for several races this season.
Kerry is the son of the late Dale Earnhardt, and Jeffrey is the grandson of the seven-time Cup champion. Jeffrey Earnhardt will compete in seven Nationwide races this season – keeping his eligibility for Raybestos Rookie of the Year for 2010 – and will attempt to make his series debut at Dover International Speedway on May 30.
Kerry Earnhardt will run “several” races for the team, making his debut with the team at Texas Motor Speedway on April 4.
“I’m excited to take my race team to a new level,” Ware said. “We’re starting a new chapter in a couple different people’s lives. We’re [looking] forward to working with a kid with a lot of potential.”
Rick Ware Racing fields two Chevrolets, the No. 31 and the No. 41, in the Nationwide Series, with the No. 31 the main focus of the team. The No. 31 isn’t guaranteed a starting position because it is outside the top 30 in owner points, but Ware said the goal is to try to get the No. 31 back inside the top 30.
The No. 41 entry will be used on a part-time schedule the rest of the season, Ware said.
The father and son will join Kerry’s brother, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the Nationwide race at Atlanta later this year.
Jeffrey Earnhardt, who remains a development driver for Dale Earnhardt Inc., will also race in Montreal to become the first Earnhardt to race in one of NASCAR’s three national series in Canada.
DEI still exists, Kerry Earnhardt said, and still owns Nationwide Series cars and equipment. Seven of those cars will be used by Ware’s team as part of the alliance between the two.
Jeffrey Earnhardt, 19, likely would have made his Nationwide debut last year for DEI but funding never became available. And with DEI merging its Sprint Cup operations with the former Chip Ganassi Racing team, the search for sponsorship for the Nationwide Series became less important.
Ware first contacted the Earnhardts after he and his hauler driver, who previously worked at DEI, talked about Jeffrey and his talent on road courses. Ware also wanted Kerry Earnhardt to drive his car at Talladega, and the conversation grew.
“It helps continue to develop him, which has been our goal since we started this with Jeffrey at Dale Earnhardt Inc.,” Kerry said. “With the economy the way it is and DEI not having a Nationwide program, this is a great opportunity to continue that development with him.”
Jeffrey Earnhardt’s schedule is slated to follow a “progressive enhancement,” a news release said. That includes 1- and 2-mile tracks that will prepare him for the 2010 season. He’s scheduled to drive at Dover, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Montreal, Michigan, Atlanta and Charlotte. Races at Iowa and California are tentative but would have to be switched for other races if plans to limit his schedule to seven events are kept.
“They’re trying to get me approved for the bigger tracks to get me prepared for 2010,” Jeffrey Earnhardt said. "That way, I’m approved for every track going into 2010.”
Jeffrey Earnhardt has competed in NASCAR’s East series after making the final in a General Motors’ driver development program in 2006.
The Earnhardts join Stanton Barrett, Derrike Cope, Travis Kittleson, Tim Brown and Tim Andrews as drivers of Ware’s two Nationwide entries this season. Andrews is the son of crew chief Paul Andrews, who joined the team this season.
