In the first Budweiser Duel, Earnhardt already been 4th, and you can provided 14 laps, before fading back again to become where he become Towards , Earnhardt claimed the most popular Driver Honor into 11th straight 12 months, cracking Bill Elliott's checklist, who obtained 10 straight honors away from 1991 so you can 2000. From the Tx, the guy damaged on Lap 13 and you may trapped on fire The new Zero. 88 class produced statements even before the beginning of the entire year. In the normal Daytona Cold temperatures shot in January, it had been announced that crew head Steve Letarte would step down in the pit container following 12 months in order to become an entire-big date person in the after that NASCAR towards the NBC broadcast people, alongside Jeff Burton and you will Rick Allen. Earnhardt and you may Letarte reassured that the circulate wouldn't interfere out-of them profitable events and you may competing towards title during the season's end. On Daytona 500, Earnhardt come 9th. Their automobile hung as much as mid-pack for many of your own first quarter of competition. After a half a dozen-time and you will 22-time red-flag, Earnhardt's car emerged alive, using dating haitian woman lead having 70 laps left. The guy led 54 of one's past 70 laps and then he kept off Denny Hamlin and you may Brad Keselowski in order to earn his next Daytona five-hundred, only a decade once 1st one to. Another times at Phoenix, Earnhardt went on their momentum, finishing 2nd in order to Kevin Harvick. In the Las vegas, Earnhardt wagered for the energy regarding kept forty laps, but he went regarding energy whenever you are top into the past lap, doing next to eventual competition winner Brad Keselowski. Within Bristol, he was strong very early, together with a way to end up being the basic driver just like the Richard Petty to begin with a period having five upright Finest dos stops, up until tire trouble pushed your and work out an unscheduled stop, leaving your to finish 24th, five laps down. From the Automobile Pub Speedway, Earnhardt started 15th. But not, to your lap 44, his vehicles lost a right front tire and hit the outside wall structure in turn 2, bringing out an alert, and then make your one of many subjects out of tire problems you to affected the newest battle. Immediately after getting repaired and you may shedding with the straight back of head lap, Earnhardt made numerous costs from the industry so you're able to rescue a 12th-put find yourself, keeping your within next put in brand new products. The following day from the Martinsville, Earnhardt battled inside the Top 5 all day long, leading twenty-five laps, and done 3rd, providing your his fourth Finest step three finish of the year, and you may regained the new facts direct. The guy completed last and you will decrease 5 ranking within the products and you can decrease to help you 29 situations about the brand new items chief Jeff Gordon. Next times during the Darlington, Earnhardt raced among the Best 5 all day, and you will try top with the a green-white-checkered end, in advance of completing 2nd so you're able to Kevin Harvick. On Richmond, pursuing the Easter away from day, Earnhardt are solid from the battle, race among the Finest 3 later, and you may led eight laps, but a green-white-checkered, and you will crappy brake system pressed Earnhardt in order to a seventh-lay finish. The following week on Talladega, Earnhardt raced among the many package until the center of your own battle, when he grabbed top honors. The guy added having twenty-six laps, however the history 29 laps noticed the auto grab a conservative rate, and you can is actually never ever in a position to regain one song updates, and you may complete 26th. On Ohio, towards the first night battle in the song, Earnhardt went completely in the Most readily useful 5, even leading a few laps, before completing 5th. Throughout the Sprint Limitless, Earnhardt provided having seven laps, in the final sector, contact with brose caused your hitting the newest wall surface therefore 1, finishing 9th With the Race All of the-Celebrity Race, Earnhardt already been sixth, but battled a rigid vehicles all night, and you can is never ever a bona fide contender. Earnhardt entered the end range fourth. The next month during the Coca-Soda 600, he raced when you look at the Greatest 5 for many of night, prior to making a keen unscheduled pit prevent to possess a system oscillations. This led to a nineteenth-lay wind up, only a couple of laps off. The second week on Dover, Earnhardt raced during the Top 10 day long, and you may are powering regarding the Better 5 later, however, a mistake on the gap road kept all of them with good 9th-put end up.