Besides racing and on-track action, owning a NASCAR team also involves securing sponsorships and business deals for profit and promotion. However, for Kelley Earnhardt, the motivation behind running JR Motorsports is not rooted in those reasons. 

Speaking with Heather Gibbs on the Business of Motorsports podcast, a new series by Dale Jr Download, Kelley Earnhardt revealed that she never looked at her own team’s profit margins after learning of Joe Gibbs Racing’s margins from Heather Gibbs’ testimony during the infamous antitrust lawsuit for one reason. 

“You mentioned in your testimony during the lawsuit that you guys operate on about a 2% profit margin. After reading that, I realized I've never really looked at our profit margin because I'm just happy if it's in the black. It can be zero, it can be $10,000, or it can be $100,000, and I'm just glad that it's in the black. I looked at ours, and we're about one and a half percent, so I feel you,” Kelley said. 

She then added the real reason why they do what they do with the team.

"Junior Motorsports doesn't do this to make money. We started our team because of the legacy of our family and our passion for racing. From the very first days, if we were able to just stay on the line of slightly profitable or not losing too much, that was good enough for us.” 

Kelley Earnhardt Miller has always maintained the stance that JR Motorsports was built around the Earnhardt family's racing legacy rather than gaining financial returns.

The team has always focused on developing young talent and preserving the Earnhardt name. With time, it has grown into one of the most successful organizations in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series.

Earnhardt then also acknowledged the position she enjoys along with her brother, Dale Jr., due to his racing success and the financial security provided by their other business ventures, which have allowed them to preserve the Earnhardt legacy and provide stable employment to members of their team. 

Heather Gibbs stepping in as a leader at JGR after Coy’s loss

Heather Gibbs, who was also on the podcast, was asked by Kelley Earnhardt about her transition into a leadership role at JGR. She said that her move was driven by a sense of responsibility to her family and the number of employees who relied on the organization, following her husband Coy Gibbs' untimely passing.

She explained that while the team had a strong leadership group, it was vital for a family member to remain deeply involved to protect the Gibbs name and legacy. 

“I think for me the most important thing was that the only person who is going to take better care of my family than myself. I remember early on Ty asking me what's going to happen to us, and I was like, we have an outstanding leadership group, but I could never just say ‘Okay, go ahead and take it over’. It was so important that a family member stays involved because it’s still your name and reputation.

"For Joe, he had his two boys and now his daughter-in-law, and I respect that. I think he's been so gracious in allowing me to be a part of it, and I needed to earn my way. I wasn’t just going to walk in the building; I needed to earn the respect of our employees and spend time with the guys on the shop floor to let them see that I care about this and that I love it."

Gibbs also explained that she felt a responsibility to understand every aspect of the organization and ensure she was part of the conversations shaping its future. That determination, she said, eventually helped her find her place within the team, despite a few oddities here and there.

Read more at RFK Racing Digest

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason