Elledge Blazing Unique Path in Midgets as Member of NASCAR Royal Family
September 05, 2019 | By Phillip B. Wilson, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
There’s nothing like a playful puppy to attract the admiring eyes of Karsyn Elledge.
And that’s not all her dog does. Russell, a 3-month-old mini Australian Shepherd, can also serve as a source of comparative perspective for the 18-year-old racing granddaughter of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt and niece of the ever-popular Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“Sometimes, I think where I can really relate to this dog right now, kind of being impatient and getting in over my head,” she said, sitting in a trailer while the furry Russell was frolicking non-stop, tugging on that leash, chewing on hands and rolling around on his back. “But that comes with seat time and experience, so I’m getting there.”
She’s been racing since 9, but this is her first full season in USAC Midgets, which on Wednesday brought her to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink. She’s driving the No. 1 Tucker/Boat Motorsports entry co-owned by 1998 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Billy Boat.
Elledge concedes a connection to not just IMS, but Indianapolis. Her grandfather won the 1995 Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard. And she also was a student at IUPUI last year.
“Majored in criminal justice my first semester,” she said, then after a pause and chuckle, she added, “My second, I was undecided.”
That also sums up her racing aspirations at the moment. She knows she loves to compete against the guys but is unsure where she’s headed. Again, kind of like that unpredictable but engaging puppy.
“He’s trying to escape right now,” she said, “but he’s a pretty good racetrack dog. He was just napping at the drivers’ meeting, so now he’s full of energy.”
So, too, is Elledge, who at this famous venue echoes the desire of others before her with strong family connections to racing. She appreciates and respects the Earnhardt name but also aspires to make a name for herself.
“It’s definitely cool, my family’s history and everything,” she said. “It’s nice to be connected to that and have the resources from that. But at the same time, at the end of the day, I’m my own person. I’m just kind of out here doing my thing.”
That means when she does well, like an Outlaw 500cc winged mini-sprint victory in April 2018 at Salisbury, North Carolina, it’s pretty sweet to be acknowledged on Twitter by a gushing Earnhardt Jr.
That also means that when she has an accident like this July at Oklahoma, her mother Kelley Earnhardt Miller can’t help but react emotionally. The co-owner of NASCAR’s JR Motorsports has been around racing a long time, but that’s her baby girl driving. Not to worry, Karsyn was OK.
“It really wasn’t my plan,” Elledge said of scaring Miller. “It’s kind of hard for her when she’s in Charlotte and she only sees as much as the TV shows. For something like that, she’s getting on the phone as soon as she can: ‘Call me! Call me! Call me! Tell me you’re OK!’ But she’s grown up in it, so she’s pretty used to all that for the most part.
“I think she would probably prefer me to do something maybe with a wing on top or maybe some fenders, but this what I have fun doing.”
As much as this racing transition is challenging, Elledge thanks Tucker-Boat Motorsports for helping her adjust. The goal this season is to learn and hopefully, eventually, earn the respect of competitors in this male-dominated sport.
“They’ll always race you a little bit different, whether they like to admit it or not, which is fine because at the end of the day that’s only going to make me better,” she said. “It’s about trying to earn their respect and showing them I’m not here to mess around.”
After the season, she intends to return close to home in Charlotte and go to a community college. Nothing against Indianapolis, but she “didn’t really love the winter.”
It’s more important to stay close to family. And what about racing?
“I don’t know,” Elledge said. “I’m enjoying doing what I’m doing right now, and I kind of just would like to just take it one day, one week, one month or one whatever at a time.”
Tickets for the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink are on sale at www.ims.com, along with tickets for the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line on Sunday, Sept. 8 and the Indiana 250 and FGL Fest on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Public gates will open at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 for the second and final night of BC39 action. Cars will be on track for hot laps at 5 p.m., with qualifying races at 6 p.m. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and followed by the main feature events, starting with multiple D-Mains and C-Mains, the semi-feature and the 39-lap main event.