According to WJHL of Elizabethton, Tennessee, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife were involved in a plane crash this afternoon. A private plane belonging to JRM, LLC out of North Carolina overran the runway and caught fire around 3:40 p.m. today, and Elizabethton Fire Chief Barry Carter indicated that Dale Earnhardt Jr., his wife, his child, and two other people were aboard the plane at the time of the incident. Fortunately, all five passengers were able to get off the plane and no one was reported to be injured.
BREAKING UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife are OK after Elizabethton plane crash, fire chief says https://t.co/8A485IcBXx
— WJHL (@WJHL11) August 15, 2019
Although there were no reported injuries, Earnhardt Jr. was taken to Johnson City Medical Center according to Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford for what was described as minor cuts and abrasions.
Earnhardt Jr. is a co-owner of JR Motorsports along with his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Rick Hendrick. Of course, he is most known for his time as a NASCAR driver, following in the footsteps of his dad Dale Earnhardt.
During his 19 years racing in what is now called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Earnhardt Jr. won 26 races. His first win came in 2000 when he won the DirecTV 500, and his last checkered flag came in 2015 when he won the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 in Phoenix.
His most famous victory happened in 2004. Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500 three years after his legendary father died at Daytona, and Little E dedicated the win to his father.
Multiple concussions led to Earnhardt Jr. largely retiring from racing after the 2017 season, but he entered a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Richmond last year and finished fourth after leading 96 of the 250 laps.
Earnhardt Jr. was reportedly set to enter an Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway on August 31.
I can confirm Dale, Amy & Isla along with his two pilots were involved in a crash in Bristol TN this afternoon. Everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. We have no further information at this time. Thank you for your understanding.
— Kelley Earnhardt (@EarnhardtKelley) August 15, 2019
Kelley Earnhardt confirmed the news around an hour after the crash. Here’s hoping that everyone is okay.
