NASCAR Star Recognizes Sister Kelley In Heartfelt 'Thank You'

NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt, Jr., will surprise sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge with a new custom Chevrolet Tahoe SS in the SPEED reality series, Payback on Aug. 9 at 10 p.m. ET.

Kelley, who handles much of Earnhardt, Jr.'s personal business dealings, is the oft overlooked hero behind the driver's successful marketing, licensing and promotional machine. Bud Brutsman, producer of Payback, talked about this episode:

"As a NASCAR fan, it was great to see Junior outside his element. I think he had a lot of fun putting this together with us. You can tell how much Kelley means to him and it's really cool to see a brother and sister that close together."

Earnhardt, Jr. drives the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and is firmly planted in the middle of this year's Chase for the Nextel Cup. Despite his busy schedule, the opportunity to give back to his sister was something he truly wanted to do.

"Payback is a way to give back to someone who cuts you a break," said Earnhardt, Jr., driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

SPEED, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2006, is the nation's first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. >From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 71 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services.