NASCAR: Five Drivers Who Found Success With New Teams

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mention – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In 2008 Earnhardt Jr. joined Team Hendrick after leaving DEI.

While at DEI Earnhardt Jr. won 17 times between 2000 and 2007. In fact, 2007 was the only season with DEI that Earnhardt Jr. didn’t win a single race.

In 2008 he won with Team Hendrick before hitting a major slump. Between 2009 and 2013, Earnhardt Jr. only won once and that came in 2012. However, things took a turn for the better over the last couple of seasons for the current driver of the No. 88 machine. Earnhardt Jr. has won six times in the last two seasons and was considered a true contender in 2014 for a championship before faltering late. In 2015 he is once again in contention for a title.

Although more wins came when he was with DEI, the consistency needed to make him a champion came with Team Hendrick. Pending he finishes in the top-10 three more times in 2015; Earnhardt Jr. will have put together four consecutive season of 10+ top-five finishes and 20+ top-10 finishes. During his time with DEI he never found this type of consistency.