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Dale Earnhadt Jr.’s niece, Karsyn Elledge survived a scary wreck at a United States Auto Club (USAC) Racing midget car event Tuesday night at Red Dirt Raceway in Oklahoma.
The daughter of Kelley Earnhardt appeared to be in her vehicle when it flipped over the turn three wall, but exited her car under her own power seemingly unscathed.
After Elledge’s car tumbled over the wall she got out and is seen talking to safety personnel letting them know she was okay.
Elledge is an 18-year-old racer who falls in line with the rest of her family, as she is quickly rising up the ranks the USAC world.
You can watch the video and learn more about Elledge here:
1. Elledge Said the Only Thing That Took a Beating Because of the Crash Is Her Pride
Shortly after the crash, Elledge took to Twitter to tell fans that she was fine after the crash. She said the thing that took the most damage is her pride.
“Thank you to everyone who’s reached out, I am sore, but most hurt is my pride. I give it my all every night & I hat that I let everyone down,” Elledge said in a statement on Twitter.
She also mentioned how humbling racing is as a sport.
“This sport is so humbling & I hope that we can put all this behind us & continue moving forward,” Elledge’s post stated. “Tonight I am so very thankful that all my safety equipment did it’s [sic] job & that my team built a safe car.”
2. Elledge’s Mom Made Sure All of Her Fans Knew She Was Okay Following the Crash
Elledge’s mother, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, took to Twitter shortly after the crash to confirm to fans that Elledge wasn’t severely hurt.
“.@KarsynElledge3 is ok, shaken up as you can imagine. Thanks for everyone checking on her and being concerned!,” Earnhardt’s post said.
She also shared her fear with Twitter when she watched the crash.
“Try watching this from your couch as the mom,” Earnhardt’s post said, responding to the initial post made by the USAC account
3. Elledge Is the Granddaughter of the Late Dale Earnhardt, a Legendary NASCAR Driver Who Died in a Racing Accident in 2001
Along with the Earnhardt name, comes a legacy of driving, a legacy that started with her grandfather Dale Earnhardt.
Earnhardt passed away after he crashed during the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Earnhardt was the son of race car driver Ralph Earnhardt and was regarded as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.
Known as “The Intimidator” Earnhardt had seven titles and 76 cup wins under his belt before that fatal crash in February of 2001.
“There’s only one Intimidator. And unfortunately, Dale Earnhardt was taken from the sport he loved too early. Certainly, there were those that believed Earnhardt was destined to win that eighth championship in 2001,” said a Fox Sports profile of Earnhardt.
Earnhardt was the owner Dale Earnhardt Inc., a NASCAR-related organization that provided equipment for four NNS championships and two truck titles.
4. Elledge Has No Recollection of Her Grandfather but Is Proud to Be Apart of the Earnhardt Legacy
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Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Born in September of 2000, Elledge was just five months old when her grandfather passed away.
She told NASCAR.com she has no recollection of her grandfather other than what people tell her about him, but she knows the weight of his legacy.
“Growing up, that was just something that was a thing: Papaw Dale passed away in the Daytona 500 when I was 5 months old,” she said. “I don’t want to say it’s normal; it was just a thing in our lives. As I’ve gotten older and read stories and heard people’s stories and watched videos and really be able to understand the legacy that he left, now I have a better understanding of it.”
5. Elledge Goes to Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis
Elledge just finished up her freshman year at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis but finds herself to have a much older soul than those she attends class with.
Although Elledge embraced her inner-kid when she was a teenager, hosting Nickelodeon series, “NASCAR Hammerdown,” she finds herself enjoying retro styles and older country music today, something that is different than the normal college kid.
“The things that matter to these kids at college, and the things that they are interested in, are like the total opposite of me,” Elledge told NASCAR.com. “My weekend plans aren’t to go party. I’d rather go race. … Plus, I have to be careful.”
At the young age of 18-years-old Elledge could be the next member of the Earnhardt family to earn legendary status in the world of racing, especially if she keeps her head on her shoulders – something her mother makes sure is a constant in Elledge’s life.
“I know what it’s like when you sit down in the seat and get a hold of that shifter and a hold of that power,” Elledge’s mother told NASCAR.com. “As a member of our family, I know the crazy things that run through your mind.”
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