At the Kentucky, Earnhardt acquired this new rod and set a different sort of song being qualified rates list with lap time of mere seconds and you may a performance regarding kilometers each hour ( km/h)
The next few days in the Sprint All of the-Celebrity Competition, Earnhardt struggled a tight addressing car a lot of you to definitely nights prior to finishing 7th. Another month to the Coca-Soda 600, Earnhardt destroyed a motor and done 39th, offering him his first DNF since 2011. On Quicken Money 400, Earnhardt contributed 23 laps but sustained an engine failure, and completed 37th in what are the lowest part of your seasons towards the Hendrick Motorsports communities as a whole (Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon one another got DNFs because of accidents, and Jimmie Johnson reduce a tire having 5 laps to go).[35] Adopting the low away from Michigan, Earnhardt had a 12th-set become during the Sonoma.
Within the competition, Earnhardt perform direct 80 laps, however, perform wind up 2nd to Jimmie Johnson
[36] Although the guy become on the rod, he missing the lead so you can Carl Edwards early. However, https://sugardaddydates.org/sugar-daddies-uk/glasgow/ while you are Earnhardt is actually top adopting the restart from an opponent warning (because of a rainfall delay), Denny Hamlin clipped good tire as well as the carcass emerged the fresh track and you can try hit by Earnhardt’s splitter by Jimmie Johnson’s vehicle, leading to tall ruin. Earnhardt had to build multiple charge from career to help you rescue a twelfth-set become. He then got an 8th-lay end within Coke Zero eight hundred. The guy, Johnson, and Ryan Newman was really the only three motorists in order to sweep the new Top in Daytona races.
Earnhardt then battled a struggling car on New Hampshire, in which he completed 14th. Adopting the last out-of times, he discovered specific surface with stops out-of sixth from the Indianapolis and you may 5th from the Pocono, while troubled reduce rims and you will oscillations inside the a span of a few days.
The fresh new No. 88 team following had several crappy days, that have an effective 30th-put finish in the Watkins Glen due to a later part of the race freeze that have Kasey Kahne. The second month, Earnhardt blew a right side tire if you are running regarding the Ideal ten. The damage was enough that he complete 26 laps down, inside 36th lay. So it evaporated his Pursue support, but with concludes of 10th at the Bristol and 8th on Atlanta, he had been able to rebuild that it cushion. On Richmond, the very last race of one’s regular seasons, Earnhardt simply must finish 32nd otherwise far better make Pursue. A great 13th-place wind up performed which, and he joined brand new Chase seeded inside ninth set. This is the 1st time into the Earnhardt’s career he had produced three straight Pursue appearance. In the 1st Chase battle on Chicagoland Speedway, Earnhardt suffered an engine inability, placing your last-in Pursue competition. The guy bounced right back within The brand new Hampshire System Speedway, top 17 laps and you may completing sixth. The end result is adequate to move Earnhardt up to 11th when you look at the Chase to your Sprint Cup standings having eight events remaining throughout the seasons.
At Dover, Earnhardt claimed his 2nd pole of the year, function a new qualifying rate list off mph. This is the first occasion since the 2002 that he got submitted more than one rod during a period. The next week from the Kansas, he complete eighth. And also make their 500th Glass initiate on Charlotte, Earnhardt led 19 laps early, but completed 15th whenever you are troubled a tight battle vehicles. Next times in the Talladega, Earnhardt led 38 laps and you will involved for a push off Austin Dillon to help you overtake Jamie McMurray toward past lap when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. stolen Dillon, leading to one driver to twist away then get hit of the Casey Mears, leaving Earnhardt that have a second-put become. The following week at the Martinville, Earnhardt acquired a keen 8th-put become. The next month on Colorado, he’d a powerful nights, completing second so you’re able to Johnson for the 3rd time in the season (immediately following Daytona and you can Dover). Next day on Phoenix, Earnhardt come when you are compelled to pit that have a free controls early, putting your a lap off. But not, a caution acceptance your to utilize new totally free citation to obtain straight back toward lead lap and you can salvage a 4th-lay become.