The late-great Dale Earnhardt Sr. left behind a lot of family members who have carried on his racing legacy. Among them is his eldest grandson Bobby Dale Earnhardt, who just landed one of the biggest racing roles of his career.
On Wednesday, Earnhardt announced that he will be a full-time racer in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series, competing under the Rise Motorsports banner. Earnhardt competed in the competition for Rise on a part-time basis in 2025
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“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,” Earnhardt wrote on X. “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.”
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Rise Motorsports owner Tim Goulet praised Earnhardt and said that he’s looking forward to taking the next step forward with him.
“We’re thrilled to have Bobby join our program for the 2026 season,” Goulet said in a statement. “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.”
Quinn Davis (31) exits turn one during the ARCA Menards Series Atlas Roofing 150 on Aug. 1, 2025, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Brenden Queen (28) finished first.© Ayrton Breckenridge/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Bobby Dale Earnhardt hasn’t had quite the same success in NASCAR as his uncle Dale Jr., his father Kerry or his brother Jeffrey. He made a handful of appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series between 2017 and 2019 for MBM Motorsports and a few more in ARCA Menards in 2017.
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2025 marked Bobby Dale Earnhardt’s first real taste of racing in any NASCAR-adjacent series in over five years.
Perhaps 2026 will be his year.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Nov 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the NASCAR section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
