At Las vegas, Earnhardt provided 70 laps very early however, done 10th based on crappy gap means
At the 2012 Quicken Finance eight hundred in the Michigan, Earnhardt controlled brand new competition, leading 95 laps, and you may obtained, taking a great 143-race winless streak, nearly couple of years to your time once his history win toward
Within Bristol, Earnhardt completed fifteenth pursuing the a later part of the competition connection with teammate Jeff Gordon, and you may a rushing penalty. Earnhardt perform back that it up with a set of back again to straight back 3rd-put ends in the Car Pub and Martinsville Speedway, making him next about standings.
The following two weeks, Earnhardt create blog post out-of closes of sixth on Charlotte and you will next in the Dover going to the summer months
On pursuing the weeks, Earnhardt perform promote a string of the market leading 10s: 10th from the Texas, seventh at Kansas, next at the Richmond, and you may 9th within Talladega, in which he contributed 10 laps. The following times, Earnhardt battled for the majority of the battle at Darlington, together with to repay having a 17th-put end. At the The-Star Battle, Earnhardt obtained the latest Sprint Showdown, best most of the forty laps in order to battle his means to your big enjoy. In the event, Earnhardt obtained this new last part and in the past ten lap shootout, needed to be happy with a fifth-place end up. In the recently repaved Pocono Raceway, Earnhardt led 36 laps in competition, but generated a belated battle stamina gap avoid out of 3rd lay in just more than 20 laps to visit, finishing eighth and you can condition next within the products. Earnhardt perform sustain good 23rd-put find yourself during the Sonoma immediately following getting damaged inside the a green-white-checkered become, but had been in a position to get across the end range unchanged and you can on lead lap, carried on their streak of being the sole rider to end all the races towards head lap. He would right back this up with a 4th-lay wind up on Quaker County eight hundred on Kentucky Speedway.
Next times on Daytona, a history lap freeze led to a fifteenth-put end getting Earnhardt but nevertheless left his move of being the sole rider to get rid of each and every lap in just about any race. Earnhardt backed up with a couple of the market leading 5 closes, doing fourth at the both Loudon and you may Indianapolis, where the guy achieved the fresh new factors lead for the first time due to the fact 2004, just after things leader Matt Kenseth are removed for the a belated race freeze. Right back at Pocono, Earnhardt was powering on the next reputation, but a rest on the sign sent brand new 88 to the garage, but he returned aside 18 laps off and completed 32nd, due to precipitation one to showed up and you can concluded the fresh competition and you will an excellent late race damage of Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and you can Denny Hamlin. Their streak from finishing into direct lap came to an stop, however, the guy however managed the fresh new issues head having 5 racing up until the newest pursue cutoff. At Watkins Glen, Earnhardt got a stable Top 10 moving in the last laps but a late competition twist led to good 28th-place find yourself, this should shed the 88 group of 1st so you can 4th from inside the the newest items.
Back into Michigan towards the Pure Michigan 400, Earnhardt had to start in 42nd put after a fail when you look at the routine forced him to go in order to a backup vehicles. The guy added for many laps middle-competition and done towards the lead lap into the next set. Earnhardt; Ryan Newman; and Kasey Kahne Henderson dating along with escaped engine dilemmas you to plagued Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and you may Tony Stewart. From the Bristol Motor Speedway, Earnhardt started sixteenth once a qualifying rainout; the guy led thirteen laps regarding battle in advance of pit road charges led to a 12th-place find yourself. The end locked your towards the 2012 Chase into Sprint Mug, close to Greg Biffle, and teammate Jimmie Johnson. During the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Earnhardt ran a lap down very early however, recovered to make a great 7th-put wind up. Next week during the Richmond Worldwide Raceway, Earnhardt obtained 1st pole of the season. He’d go on to head 69 laps, but a late competition gap end led to the newest 88 party providing a beneficial 14th-place become, and being seeded seventh from the standings. In the 1st competition of one’s pursue on Chicagoland Speedway, Earnhardt completed 8th despite having to begin with powering the field due to a system alter. Stops from 13th and you will 11th on Loudon and you can Dover remaining the fresh new 88 group 7th throughout the standings.