not, he accomplished second in the Budweiser Shootout so you can Dale Jarrett

2004–06

Inside 2004, Earnhardt won the fresh Daytona 500, half a dozen decades for the go out shortly after their dad claimed his simply title regarding Great Western Battle (and you will 3 years just after their dad is murdered from the 2001 race). Earnhardt came very close to sweeping Speedweeks, as with introduction towards the Daytona 500, the guy together with obtained his Gatorade Duel plus the Busch Series race.

Earnhardt try reunited together with relative, Tony Eury Jr

To the July 18, in summer of-weekend, Earnhardt crashed a great Chevrolet Corvette C5-R throughout the a practice with the American Le Man’s Collection Huge Prix from Sonoma at Infineon Raceway. The vehicle slid from course and struck a tangible hindrance through the warm-up the day’s new competition, rupturing a gas line and you can inducing the auto to burst to the flames which have your however inside. He sustained 2nd and you may third degree injury to your their shoulder, mouth, and ft partially because of perhaps not dressed in a defensive balaclava with his helmet. The fresh new burns off eliminated him out-of doing one or two events in which he was relieved by lover John Andretti (within Pocono) in the latest races. Regarding slide, Earnhardt turned the initial driver to help you brush a sunday within Bristol because of the profitable both Busch and you can Nextel Mug racing in the same sunday.

Earnhardt were able to qualify for brand new NASCAR 10-race playoff, together with their 5th NEXTEL Glass winnings of the year (work large) in the Talladega. not, he had been penalized 25 affairs for usage of a keen obscenity during the the tv broadcast, in solution regarding a unique NASCAR laws prohibiting professionals from using obscene vocabulary (the newest code was developed the week adopting the Daytona five-hundred, about wake of your Super Dish 50 % of-day show controversy). One event, with two successive DNF’s in the Chase, in the course of time decrease him from the powering, and then he finished 5th regarding 2004 NEXTEL Mug Chase even with a career-large six wins within Daytona, Atlanta, Richmond, Bristol, Talladega and you can defending their slide earn within Phoenix (even if according to the non-Chase items program, Earnhardt would have fastened his 3rd-set issues wind up of your own past season). He finalized off of the 2004 season with 6 victories, 16 Ideal 5s, and you may twenty-you to Top ten closes. He plus picked up his next straight Top Rider Award.

During the intimate of the 2004 year, it actually was revealed that Tony Eury Sr. could well be marketed into people director condition for the DEI firm, when you’re Tony Eury Jr. became the new team master getting Michael Waltrip into 2005 12 months. Peter Rondeau, a spin dos worker who plus aided Earnhardt profit the fresh new Busch Series race at Bristol inside the . Rondeau offered due to the fact Earnhardt’s crew head before the Coca-Soda 600 sunday, as he is replaced single men american dating Houston with DEI master professional Steve Hmiel, who helped Earnhardt get their solitary earn out-of 2005 in the Chicagoland for the July, when he got the lead regarding Matt Kenseth with the past period off pit comes to an end. Earnhardt is got rid of out-of any possible battle for the NEXTEL Mug championship shortly after suffering a system failure during the Ca Speedway. , following slide Richmond sunday, and show enhanced immediately. Earnhardt completed the entire year nineteenth inside points. Toward third upright season, he got domestic brand new NMPA Top Driver Award.

Earnhardt’s skills because the a car or truck owner proceeded. His battle class outside DEI, JR Motorsports, from inside the 2005 fielded a vehicle from the Emplear Hooters ProCup Collection, successful once and you will being qualified on Five Winners playoff. , operating the fresh No. 88 JR Motorsports You Navy Chevrolet, having Richard Childress Racing bringing assistance; yet not, he was discharged before the fall Michigan competition, the Carfax 250. He was changed by Robby Gordon and you can Martin Truex Jr. for the remainder of the season. Long-time brief tune racer Shane Huffman drove Earnhardt’s Emplear Hooters ProCup car inside 2006. Into the 2006, during the spring sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, Earnhardt or other DEI drivers drove with special black painting schemes on the automobiles, reminiscent of his later father’s popular No. step 3 color design. On the Father’s Time inside the 2006, he drove an old Budweiser vehicles during the Michigan Globally Speedway so you can honor one another his daddy (Ralph Earnhardt) along with his father, which during the one point in its careers utilized the No. 8 vehicle. Once rain caused the competition to get finished early, Earnhardt completed 3rd having Kasey Kahne winning brand new battle. After 17 racing regarding 2006 seasons, Earnhardt sat 3rd about tournament standings having 1 profit, coming on Richmond for the .