By alley - Feb 21, 2016, 4:42 PM ET

DAYTONA 500: Wreck sidelines Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s hopes of winning a third Harley J. Early Memorial Trophy were dashed with 30 laps to go in the Daytona 500 as a single-car crash eliminated the most popular driver from the "Great American Race."

In a near mirror incident to the one that eliminated his Hendrick Motorsports teammate,

Chase Elliott

, Earnhardt just lost control of his No. 88 Chevrolet off the exit of Turn 4 and pounded the inside retaining wall. His car then came to a rest on the frontstretch infield grass where it needed to be towed to the garage area.

Like Elliott, Earnhardt said he simply lost control of his car coming off the corner. Several drivers had gotten loose on that part of the speedway all afternoon and Earnhardt suggested it was due to a strong headwind.

"I've been pushing real bad all day, especially off of Turn 4," Earnhardt said. "We just got it really free. We took two tires there and just didn't have overall grip I was hoping for. I was aggressive trying to side draft guys and move forward.

"We were making some ground on the leaders a little bit so that was looking pretty good because the outside line really hadn't been doing anything all day. Just busted my butt there. Driver mistake."

Earnhardt started the race in third after winning his Can-Am Duel on Thursday night, but spent much of the 500 outside of the top-10. He had led twice for 15 laps but seemed trapped in the middle of the field. Just before his crash, he was leading a charge of drivers trying to get an outside line formed in order to chase down the lead pack.

Immediately after the crash, Earnhardt said he will use the crash as a lesson to better prepare for the July Daytona race.

"We have been working on the balance all day," Earnhardt said. "That was our problem. We really underestimated how important handling was going to be today. We've had a rocket all week, but it was in single-car runs and at the night races, the car has handled great. We gotta do a little more drafting, I think there, the next time we come back and be ready for the balance and the things they threw at us today.

"We were starting to move forward and get aggressive and I just lost it."