Earnhardt Auto Centers

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About Earnhardt Auto Centers
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Historical Timeline


Tex Age 21

1930 - Childhood

  • Tex Earnhardt is born on December 9th, 1930
  • He moves with his family to Texas where he develops an affinity for cowboy culture early on

1951 - Humble Beginnings

  • Tex founds Earnhardt Auto Centers at the age of 21 in Chandler, Arizona
  • He is the youngest person to ever receive a Ford franchise
Earnhardt Ford Chandler
Tex and Lee Lacocca

1970s - The Early Years

  • Lee Iacocca, CEO of Chrysler Corporation at the time, asks Tex and his sons to become franchise owners
  • Earnhardt opens a second Ford location on Baseline Road in Tempe, Arizona

1980s - Picking Up Speed

  • After more than 30 years in business, Earnhardt is well-positioned as the cowboy car dealer in Arizona with famous low prices and world-class service
Tex Earnhardt Fiat Subaru Chrysler Dodge
Earnhardt Dodge Dealership

1990s - Setting The Bar

  • Earnhardt Dodge becomes #1 in the world for their record-breaking car sales

2000s - 21st Century Expansion

  • Earnhardt Auto Centers undergoes significant expansion, adding pillar brands such as Honda and Toyota to the family of dealerships
Earnhardt Toyota
Tex Earnhardt

2020 - Present

  • Tex Earnhardt passes away at the age of 89. He leaves behind an everlasting impact on family, friends and the community that he loved
  • His automotive empire and legacy are continued by his sons and grandsons

The Whole Story


Tex Earnhardt, founder of Earnhardt Auto Centers was born on December 9th, 1930. As a child, Tex moves with his family to Texas for a more agricultural life. From that point on, Tex was raised on a ranch in the Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas, establishing his affinity for ranching, agriculture and cowboy culture.

It was in 1951 when he was twenty years old, that he and his family moved to Chandler, Arizona; where his father, Hal Earnhardt, Sr. started a small gas station downtown. The service station provided a small income for his family by selling gas and auto parts. Tex wanted to expand his business to sell automobiles, but the factories in Detroit refused to ship the vehicles to him without expensive transportation costs. Tex went to work and immediately found a solution. He and a friend decided to drive to Detroit, buy a car from the factory, drive both vehicles back to Chandler, and sell the new car. As soon as he sold his first car, he drove right back to Detroit and purchased the second. He repeated the whole process for months.

Eventually his hard work translated into success when factory officials saw how dedicated and strong his work ethic was. Ford Motor Company awarded Tex his own franchise in September of 1951. To this date, Tex holds the record for the youngest franchisee in the history of Ford.

Earnhardt Dealership Chandler


As the dealership grew, Tex became Ford's most respected owner. Lee Iacocca, then a corporate manager, developed a strong relationship with Tex. When Lee accepted the position of CEO for the ailing Chrysler Corporation in the late 70s, he personally flew to Phoenix and asked Tex (and his sons) to become franchise owners. Tex - with his keen intuition and respect for Iacocca - accepted the Chrysler franchise and was soon open for business as a multi-brand car dealer. On the heels of those successes, Tex acquired several more automobile franchises and he became widely known for his great deals and as the cowboy car dealer who rode a bull in his commercials. Tex' trademark slogan "that ain't no bull" was the ultimate truth in advertising. The "bull" he rode in the commercials was really a steer.

Tex' sons, Hal and Jim Babe, eventually joined him in the business as did later, his grandsons, Dodge, Derby, and Bull. Together the Earnhardt family is at the helm of one of the nation's largest privately held automotive empires and is the most recognized auto dealer group in the southwest. Where family-owned and operated automotive companies are a rarity in this market, the Earnhardt family is at their dealerships regularly and personally oversee its operations. Over the years, Earnhardt Auto Centers has expanded their operations to now include 17 dealerships and an auto body collision center in Gilbert, Arizona.

There are over 2,000 full and part-time employees working at Earnhardt Auto Centers. Earnhardt dealerships include: Earnhardt Buick GMC, Earnhardt Cadillac, Earnhardt Chandler Cadillac, Earnhardt Chevrolet, Earnhardt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Earnhardt Queen Creek Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Earnhardt Ford, Rodeo Ford, Earnhardt Honda, Earnhardt Hyundai, Earnhardt Hyundai North Scottsdale, Earnhardt Genesis of North Scottsdale, San Tan Hyundai, Earnhardt Genesis of Gilbert, Earnhardt Peoria Kia, Earnhardt Lexus, and Earnhardt Toyota. Earnhardt also operates one auto body shop in Gilbert.

The Earnhardt family's dedication to the well-being of their employees is legendary. In hundreds of cases they have personally lent moral and financial support to employees who were facing an illness or family tragedy. The Earnhardts know their success comes from dedicated employees as well as the communities that support Earnhardt; so Earnhardt supports them as well! Various charities and needy causes have also benefited from the Earnhardt's philanthropy. Upon Tex' passing in 2020, the Earnhardt Family donated to St. Mary's Food Bank, Child Crises Center and United Food Bank to honor his name. Inspired by Tex and the Earnhardt family’s charitable efforts, many of their employees participate in a company charity program called “No Bull Charities-Employee Contributions”, whereby individual donations are voluntarily deducted from their monthly paychecks and donated to employee selected charities on a quarterly basis.

Since 1951, the Earnhardt family has been selling cars and trucks to people across the southwest and the United States; and will continue to do so for many years to come. Although times have changed, what has never changed is the Earnhardt commitment to world class service, famous low prices and the best selection of America's most popular vehicles. Earnhardt - it's “a name you can trust” …and that ain't no bull!



Tex Earnhardt, founder of Earnhardt Auto Centers created a business that put the customer first. This video illustrates some of our core fundamentals that contribute to Earnhardt being a trusted family name. The ongoing embodiment and application of these fundamentals is something that we refer to as the "Spirit of Tex". In loving memory of him.