2000 are Earnhardt’s breakout 12 months on Glass Collection, the guy competed to the Raybestos NASCAR Novice of the season Prize 
for the 2000. Kenseth outran Earnhardt on year-beginning Daytona five-hundred. Earnhardt obtained 1st winnings regarding the DirecTV five hundred in the Colorado System Speedway, breaking the record kept by his father Earnhardt Sr. getting fewest starts by a motorist to earn his first profit within the NASCAR’s “modern day and age” because of the effective in his twelfth start, at Richmond International Raceway. The guy turned the first newbie so you can victory the fresh new All the-Star exhibition competition.
Earnhardt starred a part inside reproducing one Winston Cup milestone when you look at the 2000 when he competed together with dad and 1 / 2 of-aunt Kerry on Pepsi eight hundred during the Michigan Worldwide Speedway. One occasion was just the following time one a father had raced against two sons – Lee Petty along with his a couple sons Richard and you can Maurice had before finished the fresh task.[9]
From inside the 2001, the major experience of the year taken place to your Daytona 500. Since Earnhardt along with his teammate Michael Waltrip raced with the become range, the guy complete next to help you Waltrip. His father got crashed in turn cuatro shortly after Sterling Marlin made exposure to their left buttocks bumper. Earnhardt Sr. raised brand new track on the exterior wall trailing Waltrip and you may their kid and you will obtained Ken Schrader in the act. Earnhardt Sr. is noticable dead within 5:sixteen pm due to a good basilar skull break.
On the aftermath, of a lot disgruntled admirers delivered passing dangers so you can ing him towards the crash; Earnhardt and you can Waltrip each other requested you to fans prevented blaming somebody to own Earnhardt Sr.’s death and you will the local police and you will NASCAR review to your new crash cleared Marlin of any engagement. Earnhardt raced at the Rockingham the next week-end, but completed in 43rd-place once good damage on earliest lap you to definitely seemed eerily exactly like his father’s ruin merely weekly prior to. Afterwards on the 12 months, Earnhardt made a comeback, you start with an emotional winnings at Pepsi eight hundred, which was in addition to the basic competition kept in the Daytona as his dad’s passing.
Earnhardt encountered the dominant vehicles of one’s competition, top 115 from 160 laps. To your history resume, the guy were able to take action away from 6th to help you beginning throughout the course of one or two laps, that have Waltrip holding off of the community since Earnhardt took this new checkered banner. 400 during the Dover, that has been the initial Glass battle following the Sep 11 symptoms due to the fact new planned battle within The brand new Hampshire System Speedway are put-off before the stop of the season. After the battle, the guy did a gloss earn lap when you are holding a giant American banner from driver’s side screen.
The guy won the latest MBNA Cal Ripken Jr
In the Slide, Earnhardt got their second restrictor plate winnings when he acquired the brand new EA Recreations 500 within Talladega as the a crash unfolded towards straight back straightaway one caused Bobby Labonte to help you flip over as well as have amassed fifteen almost every other trucks. This new Talladega profit acquired Earnhardt an excellent Winston No Bull 5 $one million bonus. He had been docked 25 products, not, after their car failed post-competition review. With this win, DEI swept around three of the four restrictor plate races to have 2001, just failing continually to win new spring season Talladega battle. He completed the 2001 12 months eighth throughout the products standings with around three wins, 9 Most readily useful 5s, and you will 15 Best 10s, along with one or two poles.[10]
2002-03
For the 2002, Earnhardt Jr. got an effective roller-coaster 12 months. He struggled once lasting a great concussion off a head-toward collision toward additional wall surface during the California battle into the April – a personal injury the guy failed to recognize to up until mid-Sep. On the three races pursuing the California, the guy completed no much better than 30th. not, Earnhardt Jr. rallied in order to sweep both Talladega events (top a dominant 133 away from 188 laps regarding the spring season race), a set of Bud Rod Prizes and you may an enthusiastic 11th-lay become about standings having eleven most readily useful-fives and you can sixteen most readily useful-ten closes.