Background
He is the grandson of former Universal Service Administrative Company and National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing driver Bay Darnell, who also started three National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing races (including one for Holman Moody).
Career
Erik began racing at the age of 12 in the River Vally Kart Club. At that time his five wins were the most in the series" history. He set the super late model track record at Lake Geneva Raceway in 2004.
Darnell drove in his first National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Craftsman Truck Series race at Milwaukee in 2004, finishing 26th.
He also raced in numerous National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing touring series races. Darnell drove in several National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing touring series and six Associate of the Royal College of Art races in 2005.
Darnell raced full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series (Clear To Send) in 2006. He continued to drive for the team in 2007, as well as testing the team"s Busch Series cars.
Darnell started the 2008 season by capturing the pole position at the Daytona International Speedway.
Foreign 2009, Darnell planned to compete in 15 National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Nationwide Series races, sharing the car with Cup Series driver David Ragan. He ran the car at Atlanta, Loudon, Kansas, Talladega, Texas, Phoenix, and Homestead. Darnell competed in the #96 Academy Sports + Outdoors Ford for the Atlanta, Talladega, and Texas races.
He alternated the ride with Bobby Labonte.
In 2010, Darnell found himself without a ride for most of the season due to the lack of sponsorship. He continued to stay on at Roush Fenway Racing as a practice-qualifying driver for Carl Edwards at Standalone Nationwide Series races.
Darnell did a 3 race deal to drive the #16 Ford in the Nationwide Series. His best finish was 14th at Dover and Texas.
In 2011, Darnell returned to the Cup Series, driving for Whitney Motorsports in several races.
Foreign 2012, he competed for Key Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. Darnell didn"t race in National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing during 2013.