Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, improved from his 19th-place starting position to finish ninth on Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Earnhardt still ranks 10th in the driver standings, 23 points ahead of 11-place Denny Hamlin.
The field started the 500-mile race with rain looming in the area. Earnhardt started in the 19th position, and by Lap 5, he reported to his National Guard team that the No. 88 Chevrolet's handling was loose exiting the corners.
Crew chief Steve Letarte used the first two caution periods to make a chassis adjustment to the green-and-white Chevrolet. Earnhardt restarted in the 10th position for the Lap 22 restart. Earnhardt liked the adjustments and climbed as high as the seventh position.
Earnhardt continued to hold his footing inside the top 10 as teams anticipated rain that threatened the Pocono area. Just past the halfway point, Earnhardt was scored fifth on Lap 111 when the sky opened up and rain drenched the track. The race was delayed for just less than two hours before NASCAR called the drivers back to their cars to restart the event.
Once the field went back to green-flag racing, Earnhardt noted that he liked the strong Hendrick horsepower, and the lap times confirmed his sentiment.
The final caution period happened on Lap 181 for an accident in Turn 1. The field had enough fuel to make it to the end, but Letarte made the call to bring his driver down pit road for right-side tires. Earnhardt gave up his ninth position to make his way down pit road with a handful of other competitors.
Earnhardt restarted in the 12th position on Lap 18. He picked up three positions in the closing lap to finish ninth.