Is Austin Dillon related to Dale Earnhardt?

Dillon, the grandson of Earnhardt’s former car owner, Richard Childress, knew ‘The Intimidator’ personally. He was in a commercial with him, Jeff Gordon, and Earnhardt’s daughter, Taylor. He was there in 1998 when Earnhardt finally won that elusive Daytona 500. He had seen him around his grandfather’s shop.

Dillon’s grandfather and car owner, Richard Childress, has done a respectable job preserving the dignity and heritage of the No. 3 since it was last driven in the Cup Series by Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt lost his life that day in a last-lap accident.

They took their time putting the No. 3 back on the track in any capacity in NASCAR, with Dillon running it first in the Camping World Truck Series and then in the Nationwide Series. He won championships in both series, by the way.

Every step they took with the No. 3, they first asked the blessings of Dale Earnhardt Jr., the elder Earnhardt’s son and a racing icon in his own right, and his sister Kelley.