Jeffrey Earnhardt is the middle child of Renee Earnhardt and Kerry Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt and the great-grandson of Ralph Earnhardt and nephew to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt's first race came in the Hornet Division at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia. He scored 3 feature wins and finished in the top 5 in division points, winning Rookie of the Year. The following year he moved up to the Sportsman division at the Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia, finishing the season in the top 10 of the division standings. He also competed in the late model season finale at the track as a teammate to RCR developmental driver Allison Duncan.