Ranking Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Restrictor-Plate Wins
By Aaron Hale
2015 Coke Zero 400
The 2015 Coke Zero 400 got off to a delayed start due to rain at Daytona. However, NASCAR didn’t give up and was able to get the track dry. Once the engines fired it was all Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a race that started late Sunday night and ran into early Monday morning.
Earnhardt Jr. first took the lead on lap nine and was the dominate force throughout the event. At the end of the night Earnhardt Jr. led 96 of 161 laps including the final 45 resulting in his second win of the 2015 NASCAR season.
The race came down to a green-white-checkered finish and Earnhardt Jr. got an outstanding restart. He held of Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin for his fourth and most recent win at Daytona International Speedway.
Unfortunately, Earnhardt Jr.’s win was overshadowed by a crash on the final lap where Austin Dillon was propelled into the catch fence. Dillon left the scene unscathed but this crash led to NASCAR taking an in-depth look at safety for both drivers and fans.