Wreck ends Earnhardt's Daytona comeback

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was greeted with cheers after climbing from his car at Daytona International Speedway, except it wasn't in victory lane. The adoration instead came from the fans positioned on top of the garage area as Earnhardt headed for an evaluation at the infield care center after crashing out of the Coke Zero 400.

"The 4 car (Kevin Harvick) had a flat, and I just didn't have anywhere to go," Earnhardt said. "We had kind of worked our way back up there after having a little trouble with a flat tire earlier in the race. We got our laps back, and I thought things were going to work out to give us an opportunity to give us a run at the end for the checkers."

It was shaping up to be an incredible comeback to Earnhardt's final race at Daytona.

Having fallen two laps behind early in the race after a flat tire shot him into the wall, Earnhardt was inside the top 10 when the crash with Harvick occurred. Earnhardt was one of a handful of cars involved in a Lap 105 accident, an unfortunate turn of circumstances as Earnhardt thought he clawed back into contention for the victory.

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"I knew anything was possible," Earnhardt said. "We had a pretty strong car. We had some gremlins in there; I'm not sure what was going on with that, but we had the toe-in messed up. The first deal we brushed the wall a couple of laps earlier, and I thought everything was OK.

"I came through the tri-oval, and I had a right front going down, and it was trying to spin out, so I was trying to lift, but there was really nothing I could do because there were so many guys behind me. ... Then, that happened with the No. 4. It's been a wild night. I didn't anticipate this much action and this much torn up sheet metal."

The center of attention all weekend, Earnhardt started the night on the pole. As has become accustomed around the circuit, he also received the biggest ovation during pre-race driver introductions.

The overwhelming attention surrounding Earnhardt and Saturday night's race was something he did not expect.

"My phone was buzzing all day long with social media going crazy, everybody talking about this being my last Daytona race," Earnhardt said. "I hope every weekend isn't like this as far as that goes. The attention and the reaction from the fans makes me feel great. Hopefully, we're able to turn that around and back on them for the rest of the season and thank them for all they had done. "I wish we had had a good finish tonight if not a win. We were working up in there and having a good time and being aggressive and wearing out the sides of that race car. It just wasn't to be.

"Everything we do is for the fans. When we came here and won in the No. 3 Wrangler car, that was for Daddy's fans. When we won here in '01 that was for all of our fans - for his fans. They are all here. The grandstands are full. Everything we are doing today and the rest of this race are for the fans. I think they're getting a great show."