The guy, Johnson, and you may Ryan Newman was basically truly the only about three people to sweep the new Top both in Daytona races
The second day in the Sprint Every-Star Competition, Earnhardt battled a rigid approaching vehicle the majority of you to definitely nights prior to doing 7th. The second month into Coca-Soda 600, Earnhardt shed an engine and you may complete 39th, giving your his first DNF given that 2011. From the Quicken Loans eight hundred, Earnhardt provided 23 laps but sustained a motor failure, and completed 37th as to what is a decreased area of year toward Hendrick Motorsports organizations general (Kasey Kahne and you will Jeff Gordon one another had DNFs on account of crashes, and Jimmie Johnson slash a good tire with 5 laps to visit). Following the reduced away from Michigan, Earnhardt had a twelfth-put end at the Sonoma.
At the Kentucky, Earnhardt claimed the fresh new pole and place a new tune being qualified price record which have lap lifetime of moments and you can an increase away from kilometers each hour ( km/h). No matter if the guy been to the rod, he destroyed top honors to help you Carl Edwards very early. Yet not, when you are Earnhardt try top adopting the restart off an opponent alerting (because of a rain decelerate), Denny Hamlin slash an effective tire as well as the carcass emerged the latest tune and was struck by the Earnhardt’s splitter and by Jimmie Johnson’s vehicles, causing high wreck. Earnhardt had to generate multiple charge through the industry in order to salvage a 12th-put become. He then got an enthusiastic eighth-put end up in the Coke Zero eight hundred.
The following day in the Tx, he had a powerful evening, doing 2nd so you’re able to Johnson into third amount of time in the year (shortly after Daytona and you will Dover)
Earnhardt up coming battled a difficult vehicle on This new Hampshire, in which the guy completed 14th. After the last of times, the guy found specific structure that have concludes from 6th at Indianapolis and you may 5th at the Pocono, whenever you are striving shed tires and you may vibration for the a course of a couple of days.
The fresh Zero. 88 team following got a couple bad months, having a good 30th-lay end up on Watkins Glen because of a late battle freeze which have Kasey Kahne. Another week, Earnhardt blew the right front tire while powering on the Most readily useful ten. The destruction try sufficient he finished twenty six laps down, in 36th set. So it evaporated their Chase cushion, however with closes regarding 10th on Bristol and you may eighth within Atlanta, he was capable reconstruct that it cushion. During the Richmond, the very last race of your typical year, Earnhardt simply had a need to finish 32nd otherwise best to result in the Chase. An effective 13th-put wind up did so it, in which he joined the fresh Pursue seeded in ninth put. This was initially inside Earnhardt’s community that he had generated about three straight Chase appearance. In the 1st Chase battle at Chicagoland Speedway, Earnhardt suffered an engine inability, establishing him last-in Pursue competition. The guy bounced right back at The fresh new Hampshire Engine Speedway, leading 17 laps and you may doing sixth. The end result was suitable to go Earnhardt doing 11th for the Pursue on the Sprint Glass standings having seven races remaining throughout the 12 months.
On Dover, Earnhardt won his second pole of the year, form a special being qualified rates checklist off mph. It was the first time just like the 2002 he got submitted several pole throughout the a month. Into the competition, Earnhardt manage head 80 laps, but carry out become next so you’re able to Jimmie Johnson. The second week in the Kansas, the guy finished 8th. And make his 500th Cup start during the Charlotte, Earnhardt provided 19 laps early, however, completed fifteenth when you are striving a rigorous race vehicle. The following day during the Talladega, Earnhardt led 38 laps and was about for a newspapers out-of Austin Dillon to help you overtake Jamie McMurray with https://datingranking.net/guam-chat-room/ the last lap whenever Ricky Stenhouse Jr. stolen Dillon, causing you to definitely rider to help you twist out and then get struck because of the Casey Mears, making Earnhardt which have a 2nd-lay end. Next day during the Martinville, Earnhardt generated an enthusiastic eighth-place become. The following week within Phoenix, Earnhardt already been when you are forced to pit having a loose wheel early, getting your good lap off. However, a caution greeting your to utilize the brand new totally free admission to track down back towards the lead lap and you may salvage a fourth-put wind up.