Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard NASCAR racecar, earned his fourth top-10 finish of the season when he crossed the finish line in ninth on Saturday during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway.
With his ninth-place finish, Earnhardt advanced to the sixth position in the championship standings. He trails leader Carl Edwards by 21 points.
Earnhardt started 28th for Texas Motor Speedway’s first night race and was greeted with hot temperatures despite the setting sun. Earnhardt was quick to note that the No. 88 National Guard racecar was loose exiting the corners and he wasn’t gaining any track position.
When the race saw its first caution on Lap 10, crew chief Steve Letarte called Earnhardt in for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. At the restart on Lap 14, Earnhardt was 32nd.
The adjustments were to Earnhardt’s liking, and he made his way through the field.
By Lap 86, he was running 11th but noted that his oil temps were running hot due to debris on the grill. Letarte kept his driver calm as green-flag pit stops were approaching.
Earnhardt managed to get close enough to another competitor to remove the debris from the nose of his green-and-white Chevy and lead a lap before making his way down pit road for four tires and fuel.
Earnhardt cracked the top 10 as the race reached the half-way point and by Lap 200, he was running seventh. He continued to struggle with a loose-handling condition but maintained his footing inside the top 10.
The final round of green-flag pit stops began on Lap 294 with Earnhardt running eighth. Earnhardt, who needed the car tighter at the end, was able to run inside the top 10 through the remainder of the event.
When the race finally reached Lap 334, Earnhardt crossed the line ninth.