Bobby Dale Earnhardt to race full ARCA schedule in 2026

Bobby Dale Earnhardt will drive for Rise Motorsports in a full-season campaign as an ARCA Menard's Series driver in 2026.

He is the grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, nephew of two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of former racer Kerry Earnhardt, and older brother to current NASCAR driver, Jeffrey Earnhardt.

Bobby made a surprise return to ARCA earlier this year in his first appearance since the 2017 season. He ran two races, but both ended in DNFs due to accidents. He finished 30th at Bristol and 26th at Kansas, after starting the races in 24th and 17th, respectively.

"We're thrilled to have Bobby join our program for the 2026 season," said Rise Motorsports team owner, Tim Goulet. "He's hungry, he's focused, and he connects with fans in a way that fits perfectly with the vision of our team. This is a big move for Rise Motorsports, and we're ready to take the next step together."

Added Bobby: "I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity with Rise Motor-sports," he said. "This team believes in what we can accomplish, and that fires me up. We're building something strong for 2026, and I can't wait to hit the track and show what this group is capable of."

This will be the 38-year-old's first full-time season as an ARCA driver. His best result came at the Elko Speedway short track in 2017, finishing 19th. He also made seven NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) between 2017 and 2019, finishing as high as 27th at Kansas.