Tex Earnhardt and his sons, Hal and Jim, are the most recognized personalities in the southwest from having built one of the most successful automobile organizations in the United States. Tex Earnhardt started his first Ford dealership in Chandler, Arizona in September of 1951. From its humble beginnings of selling a few Fords a month, Earnhardt Auto Centers did nearly one billion dollars in retail sales and sold over 27,000 retail units last year.

The Earnhardt organization currently sells 11 different automobile brands: BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, Scion. The dealerships are located in the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Avondale, Apache Junction and El Paso, Texas.