In the 1st Budweiser Duel, Earnhardt come last, and you will added 14 laps, before diminishing back into end where the guy come
To your , Earnhardt acquired typically the most popular Driver Honor towards the 11th successive season, breaking Expenses Elliott’s number, just who scored ten straight honours away from 1991 to 2000.
Shortly after are fixed and you may falling towards the right back of your lead lap, Earnhardt generated numerous charges from community so you’re able to salvage a twelfth-lay become, staying your at the 2nd added the facts
The fresh Zero. 88 people made headlines before the start of the entire year. Into the typical Daytona Cold weather decide to try within the January, it was launched one staff captain Steve Letarte manage step down on pit package pursuing the seasons becoming a full-date member of new next NASCAR toward NBC shown class, close to Jeff Burton and you may Rick Allen. Earnhardt and you may Letarte reassured this move won’t interfere of them effective events and competing toward championship from the season’s avoid. Regarding Race Endless, Earnhardt contributed for eight laps, but in the final part, exposure to brose caused your going to the new wall consequently step one, doing 9th.
On the Daytona 500, Earnhardt started 9th. His auto strung doing middle-pack for some of your own basic quarter of one’s competition. The guy led 54 of your own history 70 laps and then he stored regarding Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski in order to win his next Daytona 500, just 10 years once 1st one.[38] The next week within Phoenix, Earnhardt proceeded his energy, completing second to help you Kevin Harvick. During the Vegas, Earnhardt gambled with the electricity throughout the remaining 40 laps, but he ran out of gas when you’re best for the past lap, completing 2nd to ultimate battle champ Brad Keselowski. In the Bristol, he was solid early, along with the opportunity to end up being the first driver because Richard Petty first off a season having four upright Ideal dos ends up, until tire trouble pushed him while making an unscheduled prevent, leaving your to end 24th, five laps down.
Within Automobile Pub Speedway, Earnhardt already been fifteenth. Yet not, on the lap 44, their vehicle shed a right front side tire and you may hit the additional wall structure consequently 2, offering an alert, and then make your one of the sufferers out of tire disappointments one to beset the fresh new race. Next day at the Martinsville, Earnhardt battled inside Ideal 5 for hours, top twenty-five laps, and you will accomplished 3rd, providing your his 4th Most useful step three end of the season, and you can regained the things lead. Within Colorado, the guy damaged toward Lap thirteen and you will caught on fire. He accomplished history and you can dropped 5 ranking when you look at the points and fell so you can 30 facts behind the latest situations frontrunner Jeff Gordon. The next month on Darlington, Earnhardt raced one of the Greatest 5 all day, and you can is actually best on an eco-friendly-white-checkered become, prior to finishing second in order to Kevin Harvick.
Immediately after a half dozen-hours and you may 22-minute warning sign, Earnhardt’s vehicle emerged real time, using direct that have 70 laps leftover
During the Richmond, after the Easter out-of week, Earnhardt try strong regarding the race, race among the many Top 3 late, and you may contributed eight laps, but an eco-friendly-white-checkered, and you can bad brakes pressed Earnhardt so you’re able to a 7th-lay find yourself. The next few days in the Talladega, Earnhardt raced one of many pack until the middle of one’s competition, as he got the lead. He led for twenty six laps, although history 30 laps spotted the car simply take a traditional speed, and you can was never ever in a position to regain people song status, and complete 26th. Within Ohio, toward first night competition during the tune, Earnhardt ran firmly regarding Finest 5 , actually best a few laps, prior to completing fifth.
For the Race All the-Superstar Race, Earnhardt come 6th, however, struggled a strict automobile for hours, and you will is actually never a bona fide contender. Earnhardt crossed the end line next. The following month during the Coca-Soda 600, the guy raced from inside the Ideal 5 for almost all of one’s night, prior to making an unscheduled pit stop for a system vibrations. Which led to a 19th-set wind up, merely one or two laps down. Next few days at the Dover, Earnhardt raced inside the Top ten throughout the day, and are powering throughout the Greatest 5 later, but an error to the gap roadway kept them with a 9th-put end up.