Within Martinsville, he provided 79 laps and you may try top having ten laps to wade when an alert made an appearance having good wreck anywhere between Kyle Larson and you can brose. To the resulting resume, Earnhardt try powering 5th. Within the restart, the guy slipped through the package and you may overtook Tony Stewart on lead-in change cuatro. The guy proceeded to hang the lead so you’re able to profit the battle in the future regarding Jeff Gordon. It actually was Earnhardt’s basic industry victory on Martinsville.
Into 12th straight 12 months, Earnhardt claimed the brand new NMPA Hottest Rider Prize
Back to Texas, Earnhardt got a tremendously average run, carrying out 12th and you may doing sixth. On Phoenix, he had a good date and you will had several other Top, finishing 8th. At Homestead, Earnhardt had an effective tire problem very early. The guy had the latest 100 % free pass and you can were able to break the major 5 at one point but dropped right back late to end 14th. He complete 8th on the final standings in what are the ideal year to have Earnhardt just like the 2004 which have 4 wins, a dozen Better 5s, 20 Most useful tens, and you will the typical end regarding twelve.dos.
At the conclusion of brand new 2014, Earnhardt Jr.’s crew captain Steve Letarte departed Hendrick Motorsports to participate NASCAR to the NBC’s sending out team. Letarte try replaced because of the Pursue Elliott’s 2014 Xfinity team head Greg Ives. On account of National Shield shedding its motorsports sponsorships, Earnhardt Jr. plus had another type of recruit in the way of All over the country Insurance.
During the Bristol, the guy went of up to 3rd until a free controls lay him down a few laps off
Earnhardt Jr. kicked of 2015 that have a beneficial ninth-set finish regarding Sprint Limitless. On the March 19, the guy won Budweiser Duel Zero. one in the thing that was their fourth success regarding Budweiser Duels. On Daytona 500, the guy led for over 31 laps however, on one of your own last restarts, he made a move you to definitely mired him in between instead of assist, and you will decrease back to sixteenth having fifteen laps to go, but managed to make their way back to help you 3rd put of the the final lap. It was their fifth Ideal step 3 wind up regarding Daytona 500 when you look at the half a dozen decades, immediately following their athlete-right up finishes this year, 2012 and you may 2013, along with his winnings from inside the 2014.
At Atlanta, Earnhardt Jr. arrived home with several other third-lay wind up and also at Vegas, he finished last, rating their 3rd Ideal 5 end just after bringing a few tires during environmentally friendly banner gap-finishes with 31 laps going. During the Phoenix, he’d their poor finish of the season, having a past place wind up after an excellent tire-blowout. On Vehicles Pub, the guy complete sixth. At the Martinsville, the guy also-ran in the Better 20 until a beneficial tire-blowout produced your get involved with a massive pileup you to definitely missing the leading end out-of their vehicles. Because of this crash, he would go on to wind up 36th. From the Texas, he narrowly was beaten from the Kevin Harvick to have 2nd place. Though he never ever had them right back, he was capable buy a 16th-put wind up simply a few laps down. At Richmond, the guy went regarding the Top 10 all round the day up to the guy and you will Tony Stewart produced get in touch with but managed to finish 14th.
On Talladega, Earnhardt Jr. started in line 2. He resided around the front side of one’s pack for most off the day, bringing the direct which have twenty seven laps commit and sailing away so you can their sixth earn within song with his very first given that spouse Jeff Gordon for the majority of wins one of productive drivers within Talladega. From the Ohio, the guy complete third shortly after existence out on the past alerting. During the Charlotte, he gambled into the stamina and scarcely defeat aside Matt Kenseth and you may Martin Truex Jr. for the next 3rd-put become. Earnhardt led around three laps during the Dover but a punishment to own rushing into the gap highway rates him, even if he had been able to become 14th a couple of laps off.