MOORESVILLE, NC: Bobby Dale Earnhardt is ready to take on Kansas Motor Speedway after being OK’d by NASCAR to jump from short tracks to 1.5-mile speedways. The driver, son of Kerry Earnhardt and grandson of Dale Earnhardt Sr., will pilot the No. 40 Chevrolet for MBM Motorsports (MBM).
Earnhardt will make his 1.5-mile debut during the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Earnhardt said he received word from NASCAR that he was cleared to race larger tracks and the deal came together fast with MBM soon after.
“It was such an awesome day when I got the call from Brett Bodine,” Bobby Earnhardt said about his conversation with Bodine who works with NASCAR on approving drivers. “When he said I was OK’d for Kansas and 1.5-mile tracks… It was an amazing call – a pretty great feeling.”
Earnhardt says several small businesses made the Xfinity Kansas race possible. The young driver had fun mentioning sponsors but did so in a traditional “Earnhardt” way. Picture a slight grin while talking about his sponsors as if they had loaded the hauler.
“Have not really practiced shouting out sponsors yet, but this is really more from the heart,” Earnhardt said with a smile. “This is a real thank you! Not just a mention. Thanks to Vonda Copeland – at Copeland Insurance in Manhattan Kansas, and Jeremy… in Sterling Kansas… at Jeremy’s Paint and Body Shop. And Frank and his family in Hartville Ohio at Frank’s Glock Works. Neon Lizard Creative – amazing designers and fun folk! None of this would be happening without having supporters like these – want to give them all a big handshake and a hug!”
Earnhardt has one start in the Xfinity Series in 2017 which came at Richmond where he started 40th and finished 34th. That may not sound like a success to drivers for larger teams but Bobby was thrilled with the finish.
Earnhardt will pull double duty at Kansas. He’ll be back behind the wheel of the #3 car in the ARCA Racing Series race for Hixson Motorsports as well as his #40 car in the Xfinity Series race. Both are significant numbers in the Earnhardt family.
— Earnhardt PR —