With Hendrick Motorsports drivers taking up four spots in the top-seven, the organization sure would’ve loved to have one more driver finish up front. NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver struggled throughout the race to collect a 27th place finish in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Beginning the race in 26th, Earnhardt Jr. was looking to extend his streak of top-5 finishes to six at the ‘Lady in Black’.  The driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet saw his night go downhill quickly when he went beyond his pit stall causing him to lose valuable track position.

Over the course of the entire race Earnhardt Jr. tussled with the handling of the No. 88 Chevrolet, claiming it to be too tight.

Despite earlier problems the worst came with 25 laps to go when Earnhardt Jr. hit the wall and spun his car. His crash brought out the 17th caution of the race.

“It was a frustrating night for the Mountain Dew/National Guard team,” an upset Earnhardt Jr. stated following the race. “We struggled with tight all night. I’m looking forward to the All-Star race. It should be fun.”

With the All-Star race just around the corner, Earnhardt Jr. hopes he can end his struggles at his hometown track. Currently 89 points out of the top-12, things aren’t quite as bad as many perceive for Earnhardt Jr.

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