Kelley Earnhardt Miller

Kelley Earnhardt Miller is co-owner and CEO of JR Motorsports. Following graduation from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, she helped pioneer the NASCAR collectibles industry with Action Performance as VP of sales and procurement before joining various boards of directors (Blueharbor Bank, The Dale Jr. Foundation, BRANDT Professional Agriculture). She authored Drive: 9 Lessons To Win In Business and In Life. Kelley is married to L.W. Miller and the mother of three children – Karsyn, Kennedy, and Wyatt.

Coming to JR Motorsports in 2001 as general manager, the company has flourished under her leadership. With teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour and NASCAR Whelen All American Series, JR Motorsports now boasts seven championships, including three NXS titles in the past five seasons and four in the Late Model ranks. Chase Elliott won the inaugural NXS championship for the team in 2014, earning Rookie of the Year honors as well. William Byron won both the championship and rookie honors in 2017, and Tyler Reddick made it three titles overall and two in a row in 2018 while earning the rookie title as well. Josh Berry earned a pair of track championships in the Late Model and added CARS Tour owner and driver crowns to the list. All seven were earned since Earnhardt Miller became part of the ownership group with her brother and Rick Hendrick.

The daughter of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, Earnhardt Miller graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1995 with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in production and operations management. Out of college, Earnhardt immediately landed at Action Performance, the souvenir sales company that became the benchmark in NASCAR merchandising. Her many roles during a six-year span there included vice president of sales and vice president of procurement.

Earnhardt Miller’s move to JR Motorsports in 2001 was significant in the career of her racing brother, who had burst onto the NASCAR scene with Xfinity Series championships in 1998 and 1999. He then became one of the sport’s most publicized figures when he surged into full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition in 2000. His immediate success on the track further catapulted his popularity, and that success called for savvy leadership that could maximize his immense appeal. Earnhardt Miller instantly began expanding her brother’s business portfolio, landing corporate deals that would intensify his reach as both a racer and businessman.

In 2007 Earnhardt Miller was the recipient of the Top 25 Women in Business Achievement Award by Charlotte Business Journal. In an Associated Press article in April 2007, Earnhardt Miller was referred to as “one of the most powerful people in the sport of NASCAR.” In December 2009, Earnhardt Miller was listed as the third-most powerful woman in NASCAR by ESPN.com columnist Ryan McGee.

In February 2010, Earnhardt Miller was named Opportunity Award winner by Lyn St. James’ Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation for her part in bringing Danica Patrick to NASCAR. With numerous teams vying for Patrick’s attention, it was Earnhardt Miller who lured Patrick to JR Motorsports, giving the company one of the most recognized driver tandems in NASCAR with Earnhardt Jr. and Patrick.

Her most recent accolade came in 2015, as she was named one of Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers/Women in Sports Business for her impact on the motorsports industry.