To Daytona, Earnhardt was employed in a young 16-vehicles pileup on the front straightaway towards the lap 20, however, was able to rescue a 14th-set end up by the point the fresh new competition is required rain once 112 away from 160 laps.
On finish, the guy clinched a Chase berth, which have him becoming adequate in Finest 30 and achieving a few victories
The questions speaing frankly about this new substitute for out of Steve Letarte were in the end answered toward July 30, because of it was revealed one to Greg Ives, Pursue Elliott’s Across the country Collection team master on JR Motorsports, manage return to Hendrick Motorsports, and take over Earnhardt’s gap field having 2015.
On Dover, he done seventeenth to get at the next round
Returning to Pocono, Earnhardt been 9th. The guy went for the Top 10 for many of battle, and you will took top honors of Greg Biffle having fourteen laps to go. Earnhardt got gathered a lead-in overabundance around three seconds when the caution made an appearance to own Kurt Busch’s reduce tire towards lap 154, removing their direct. Then he sweated aside a four lap shootout towards history restart when deciding to take his third earn of the year, you to definitely a driver swept each other Pocono races (Denny Hamlin was the very last rider). It earn tied up Earnhardt with Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski getting most wins of the year as much as that time.
Within Watkins Glen, Earnhardt accomplished 11th, and you will because of Jeff Gordon troubled, believed the affairs head, for the first time just like the Martinsville in the April. The following week from the Michigan, he generated contact with Kyle Larson to the gap highway, but as a consequence of perseverance regarding his pit staff, managed to head four laps and rescue a fifth-place wind up.
The next month on Bristol, while powering 5th, commander Denny Hamlin was destroyed by Kevin Harvick while you are rushing to own top honors, which then delivered Hamlin’s car on the inside wall. Hamlin’s vehicles upcoming slid straight back up prior to the No. 88 and you may slammed into the left-side-door of the auto, and also the contact try crappy sufficient to publish Earnhardt at the rear of the new wall structure, and you can suffer good 39th-place wind up. It was their next DNF of the season, after the very early log off in the spring Tx competition.
Throughout the final competition off NASCAR’s regular 12 months at the Richmond, Earnhardt generated his first introduction which have a nationwide-backed Zero. 88. The guy raced so you can a twelfth-put finish, shortly after the thing that was a long, tough night to your party. Despite troubled at 3/4-distance track, Earnhardt seeded third on Pursue grid, behind series chief Brad Keselowski, and you can tied up that have Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Joey Logano to own next lay. The guy become the new Challenger Round of the Pursue with an enthusiastic 11th-lay finish for the Chicago. The following times on The Hampshire, Earnhardt done a powerful 9th-place find yourself, providing your a comfortable benefit to improve Competitor Bullet immediately following Dover.
At Kansas, just after a 5th-lay run in the new spring, Earnhardt are seeking do that feat to start off the fresh competitor having a very good end to help his chances to offer their work at on the title. Just after leading forty five laps in the same vehicles the guy always earn each other Pocono events before regarding 12 months, a cut-out best top tire led to an excellent 39th-set become. You to definitely wind up caused your to-fall so you’re able to 11th devote activities, twenty five points behind 8th set. The guy came to Charlotte needing a win otherwise an effective finish. He added early however, to lap 133, his shifter broke on european chat account of an excellent vibrations (a similar state got befallen Jimmie Johnson within Michigan within the August). He had while making several pit ends to solve the situation and never recovered, ending up 20th. The guy dropped so you’re able to last-in this new Pursue standings, 26 things about eighth.