Kriti Mehrotra
With Prime Video’s ‘Earnhardt’ giving us an exclusive look into the incredible career yet complex family dynamics of legendary racer Dale Earnhardt, we get a documentary unlike any other. It essentially pulls away the curtain on the kind of sacrifices he made to become successful and provide for his family — a major one was not having a great relationship with three of his four kids for a while. His youngest, though, Taylor Nicole Earnhardt, was reportedly always the apple of his eye, which means that he was a dedicated, loving father to her from the moment she was born.
Taylor Nicole Earnhardt Credits Her Father for Her Passions
Kannapolis, North Carolina, native Dale Earnhardt was merely 17 years old when he tied the knot with Latane Brown in 1968, after getting to know her while she was still in high school. They welcomed their only child into this world, Kerry Earnhardt, a year later, unaware they would soon crumble apart owing to the initial instability that came with his decision to become a professional racer. Latane got custody, gradually moved on, and remarried, resulting in Kerry knowing his stepfather as the only father figure in his life until he was 16 – he had adopted him when he was 3.
By this point, Dale has also moved on and fallen head over heels in love with legendary NASCAR car builder Robert Gee’s daughter Brenda Gee, with whom he tied the knot in 1971. They welcomed two children into their lives – Kelley King Earnhardt in 1972 and Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 1974, only to get divorced not long after, owing to irreconcilable differences. It was over 7 years later when the racer married iconic Busch Series driver Hal Houston’s daughter, Teresa Diane Houston, after meeting her on the tracks.
So, Teresa is the one with whom he welcomed his youngest into this world on December 20, 1988, just for everyone close to him to notice that he was different with her. As per records, having reunited with Kerry around 1983 and being successful in his career, he was at such a stage in his life that he was finally able to embrace fatherhood, leading to Taylor being the apple of his eye. Therefore, it’s no surprise that he had her watch races whenever possible and even supported her as she spent much of her childhood around the family farm/stables learning to ride horses. They had no idea she would later combine this with the competitive spirit all Earndardts seem to have.
Taylor Nicole Earnhardt is a Proud Competitor, But in a Different Kind of Arena
According to records, Taylor learned the significance of hard work, perseverance, and respect from her father at an early age after he noticed her developing a love for riding. He told her that if she didn’t fight for her ambitions while also appreciating everyone and everything around her, no real success would come her way, and she ingrained it in her mind. That’s how she managed to begin competing in rodeos when she was merely a teenager around the early 2000s, acknowledging that while her dad competed on horsepower, she did so on real horses.
It was in 2003, two years after Dale had sadly passed away from an accident during the final lap of the February 18, 2001, Daytona 500 race, that Taylor began proving her mettle as a rider. She won not only the Champion of the North Carolina National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) but also the Champion of the Junior Southern Rodeo Association (JSRA). Then, by the late 2000s, she was an All-Around Champion, a rising equestrian, and a world-renowned competitor with a few more Championships under her belt.
As time passed, Taylor also began dabbling in roping, became an actual cowgirl, and developed as an overall performer, resulting in her earning the title of All-Around Cowgirl and Champion at the 2015 Southern Rodeo. Since then, she has continued down this path and remains a Professional Rodeo Competitor, yet the frequency at which she competes has gradually lessened over time, owing to different priorities coming to light. As if that’s not enough, we should mention she is also a spokesperson for the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, a non-profit carrying on her father’s legacy that focuses on the overall welfare of children, education standards, and wildlife preservation.
Taylor Nicole Earnhardt is a Ranching Family Woman
While Taylor is indeed a Public Speaker as well as a Rodeo Competitor, she is also a proud businesswoman as a Cattle Rancher and a family woman as a happily married mother of one in Mooresville, North Carolina. She tied the knot with the love of her life, fellow Rodeo Competitor Brandon Putnam, on May 26, 2012, and welcomed their daughter Sage into this world over 4 years later on July 12, 2016. Sage was born weighing 6 lbs 11 ounces while measuring 19 inches, and her mother made it clear that she was only listening to her body, her doctors, and her horses throughout her pregnancy. So, with her family now being her priority, she competes a little than before.
As for Taylor’s position as a Cattle Rancher, she helps operate Due East Cattle, a family-run company that is wholly dedicated to providing well-bred performance horses and corriente cattle to clients. So, whenever she is not competing or traveling the nation to fulfill her speaking commitments, she seems to be leading her best life on her farm alongside her family. From successfully training animals to helping her daughter get comfortable on/around them to celebrating key milestones of life, this travel enthusiast, outdoor adventurer, and hobbyist baker currently does it all. Now, going by Taylor Earnhardt Putnam, she seems perfectly content with her life as of writing, which is all that matters in the long run. We wish her and her family nothing but the best for their future.
Read More: Cathy Watkins and Kaye Snipes: Where Are Dale Earnhardt’s Sisters Now?
