Towards the Lap fifty at the springtime Talladega competition, the guy had reduce on the draft and only eg Daytona he strike the wall, ruining their vehicle. At Kansas, he become 22nd and you may completed fifteenth. The second times at Dover, he’d initiate second because qualifying was rained out, but try doing work in a belated destroy into the a great botched restart, finishing 32nd.
Regarding the All the-Superstar Race, qualifying is rained away, thus he come 10th due to proprietor products, but was able to finish 3rd.
Shed racing on account of concussions
When you look at the July, Earnhardt try identified as having concussion-including episodes and you can do skip the last half of the year this means that. He was replaced of the Alex Bowman into The fresh Hampshire 301 and Jeff Gordon in the Brickyard 400 and Pennsylvania eight hundred. On the September dos, Earnhardt established he’d sit from the other countries in the 12 months having Gordon and you will Bowman continuing their replacement for jobs on the 88. On , Earnhardt is actually clinically cleared to return hipster dating in order to battle for the 2017. Even after forgotten next half of the entire year, Earnhardt Jr. obtained the newest NMPA Top Rider Award toward 14th consecutive big date.
2017: Final season
Earnhardt already been Daytona qualifying 2nd however, is actually destroyed if you are leading mid-race, and you will complete 37th. Immediately following a sequence out-of lackluster finishes, he was able to get a leading 5 from the newly repaved Tx. It had been 1st and simply best 5 all year. Into the might be his last 12 months operating complete-time. Earnhardt Jr. didn’t make Playoffs within his last seasons, publish an excellent 13th-set end up at the Richmond, looking for a profit to make it into the. In his latest restrictor dish competition in the Talladega, Earnhardt perform start the fresh rod and then he perform skip step 3 huge wrecks on the closure laps to end seventh. In his last field battle, Earnhardt were only available in 24th lay and finished in 25th place. He finished up during the 21st when you look at the affairs standings. The guy were left with only one most readily useful 5, 8 ideal tens, 2 posts, and you can seven DNFs. not the guy did earn his fifteenth straight, and you can finally, Most popular Driver prize. Though 15 upright many years of Earnhardt becoming most popular rider was a beneficial NASCAR record, he is 2nd all the-time for you to Statement Elliott, who’s got sixteen preferred rider honours, including 10 straight.
2018–present
Once his later years, Earnhardt first started occasionally racing from the Xfinity Show that have JR Motorsports. Within the 2018, the guy went the fresh new slip Xfinity battle on Richmond on No. 88, after qualifying 2nd, the guy ruled of the top 96 of 250 laps, but manage fundamentally wind up next immediately following a belated race resume. The coming year, the guy competitive the game Films Haircuts VFW 200 in the Darlington, his first Xfinity begin from the song because the 1999, riding a no. 8 tailored once their father’s 1975 Mug automobile. Immediately following performing fifteenth, he done fifth; he previously in the first place complete sixth however, is actually advertised one condition after the Denny Hamlin’s disqualification.
Into the 2020, Earnhardt often show the fresh new No. 8 which have Daniel Hemric and Jeb Burton. Regarding 2020 Daytona five hundred, Earnhardt Jr. are called the new Honorary Beginner and you may waved the brand new green banner to help you theoretically initiate the new battle.
Almost every other racing
On top of his 26 community Sprint Glass typical 12 months wins, Earnhardt also has obtained 9 expo races. He claimed the fresh 2003, 2004, 2008, 2015, and you can 2016 Budweiser Duels, the brand new 2000 Dash All star Battle, the fresh new 2003 and you can 2008 Budweiser Shootout plus the 2012 Race Showdown. He finished next from the 1999 IROC race out-of Michigan Around the world Speedway, barely shedding so you can their father. Inside the 1998, he was certainly a select few out-of people greet so you’re able to battle throughout the NASCAR Thunder/Motegi five hundred in the Motegi, Japan. He hit a sixth-set end inside to another country battle.