Towards the early morning from Oct eleven, Hendrick Motorsports established you to definitely Earnhardt would have to stand from the Bank off The usa five-hundred on Charlotte and also the Movie industry Local casino eight hundred in the Kansas on account of an effective concussion of a beneficial 23-car crashes into history lap on Talladega towards October 7. You to definitely weekend, Earnhardt completed 20th within Talladega when he grabbed an arduous eat when you look at the a crash just after and then make exposure to Bobby Labonte. Regan Smith is launched to replace your within these events.[31] Ahead of the concussion, Earnhardt had competed in 461 successive racing, dating back the latest 1999 Atlanta feel. [32] Towards October 23, Earnhardt are removed into Tums Quick Relief five-hundred within Martinsville immediately after destroyed two racing. He started good from the race, however, a belated race twist which have Carl Edwards placed to possess a good 21st-place finish.[33] His first top 10 end up immediately after back to the fresh tune try a 7th-set find yourself at Texas. Within Phoenix, Earnhardt fought a sick-addressing automobile, and you will accomplished twenty-first. In the season finale, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Earnhardt would end tenth. This is exactly his first top end at step one.5-mile tune, with his 20th in 2010. He closed the season twelfth throughout the final standings. Towards , it had been launched one to Earnhardt acquired brand new NMPA Hottest Driver Prize for the tenth consecutive season. So it tied Bill Elliott’s streak off 10 successive wins on the award.
On Fontana, Earnhardt become middle-pack and you may after a couple of problems including an extended pit stop because of skipped carry nuts to your a right buttocks tire, he emerged home inside the second-set finish, just in case the issues lead as a result of Brad Keselowski supposed away from rate and you can falling straight back
Earnhardt started brand new 2013 year which have an 8th-put find yourself regarding rechristened Sprint Limitless. The guy accredited 11th into the Budweiser Duel, however, the guy blew a system in practice, he had been compelled to lose on buttocks of one’s field. Shortly after narrowly destroyed a beneficial step three-car wreck ranging from Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, and you will Regan Smith, he completed 9th. The guy completed last within DRIVE4COPD three hundred after submarining significantly less than Alex Bowman’s automobile inside an unlawful history lap destroy.
In the Race Cup Series, Earnhardt strike a small resurgence, along with the first four racing of the season registered three Most useful 5s and you will five Top comes to an end. It first started with one minute-lay finish so you can teammate Jimmie Johnson within Daytona 500, Earnhardt’s third runner up find yourself on 500 since 2010. It was followed closely by one or two more Top ten finishes: seventh during the Vegas and you may sixth at the Bristol. 2 weeks later on inside Martinsville, Earnhardt struggled on competition, and you can spun-out immediately following Danica Patrick try struck by the Brian Vickers and you may sent with the Earnhardt and wound-up finishing 24th, dos laps down, dropping the brand new factors produce Jimmie Johnson.[34]
Next times from the Phoenix, he contributed getting 47 laps, however, is actually shuffled into subscribers during a period warning flag gap ends up, and therefore welcome Carl Edwards to assume top honors if you are Junior finished in 5th set
On Colorado, Earnhardt went close to the top up to lap 187, when their battery pack alternator prevent in which he wound up doing 29th. From the Kansas, he ran nearby the front side up until a good dirt caution taken place while you are he, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and you will Carl Edwards have been the into pit path. Earnhardt perform wade a great lap off, make trend-up to, and you can end sixteenth. Within Richmond, the guy complete tenth. Within Talladega, the guy sugar daddy Winnipeg went good lap down early once some banging that have Joe Nemechek. Yet not, that have a caution for a fail with the lap 43, Earnhardt got the 100 % free citation to track down right back for the direct lap. He produced his in the past upwards through the profession toward Most useful 5, but slipped back once again to seventeenth towards the bottom.