With the morning out of Oct 11, Hendrick Motorsports announced you to Earnhardt will have to stand from the Bank regarding The united states five-hundred from the Charlotte plus the Hollywood Local casino eight hundred during the Ohio because of a concussion out of a good 23-car crash on last lap on Talladega into October eight. You to week-end, Earnhardt accomplished twentieth at Talladega as he grabbed an arduous lick for the a fail once and then make experience of Bobby Labonte. Regan Smith is revealed to displace your from the these two events.[31] Ahead of the concussion, Earnhardt had competed in 461 successive racing, dating back to the fresh new 1999 Atlanta knowledge. [32] Into Oct 23, Earnhardt try removed towards Tums Punctual Recovery five hundred at Martinsville once lost two racing. He started strong throughout the battle, but a late race spin which have Carl Edwards set for a great 21st-lay find yourself.[33] 1st top finish immediately after back into the brand new tune are a 7th-put end within Tx. From the Phoenix, Earnhardt fought a sick-dealing with vehicles, and finished twenty-first. At the seasons finale, in the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Earnhardt do end up 10th. That is 1st top 10 end in the 1.5-distance tune, with his twentieth this present year. The guy closed the entire year twelfth in the latest standings. On , it actually was revealed one Earnhardt won the newest NMPA Most popular Rider Prize to your tenth successive year. So it tied Bill Elliott’s move away from 10 straight victories on award.
Within Fontana, Earnhardt come middle-pack and you will after a couple of errors and an extended gap end as a result of skipped lug nuts towards the a right buttocks tire, the guy emerged home when you look at the 2nd-place become, of course the products lead down to Brad Keselowski supposed from pace and you may shedding back
Earnhardt started the brand new 2013 season with a keen 
8th-put end on rechristened Sprint Endless. The guy licensed 11th into the Budweiser Duel, but he blew a system used, he had been compelled to miss to the rear of the profession. Once narrowly shed a step 3-car accident anywhere between Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, and Regan Smith, the guy accomplished 9th. He completed 4th on DRIVE4COPD 3 hundred immediately after submarining below Alex Bowman’s automobile from inside the an unlawful past lap destroy.
On the Race Mug Collection, Earnhardt hit a small rebirth, and in the initial four events of the year submitted three Greatest 5s and four Top ten stops. They first started that have a second-put finish so you’re able to teammate Jimmie Johnson at the Daytona 500, Earnhardt’s 3rd runner-up wind up on the 500 once the 2010. It was followed by several way more Top stops: seventh from the Las vegas and sixth from the Bristol. 14 days later when you look at the Martinsville, Earnhardt battled about race, and you may spun out after Danica Patrick was struck because of the Brian Vickers and sent into the Earnhardt and you will wound-up completing 24th, dos laps off, dropping the latest issues cause Jimmie Johnson.[34]
The second week at Phoenix, the guy contributed having 47 laps, however, is actually shuffled into traffic throughout the a cycle caution banner gap ends up, which acceptance Carl Edwards to visualize top honors when you’re Junior finished into the 5th put
From the Tx, Earnhardt went nearby the front until lap 187, when their power supply alternator quit in which he finished up doing 29th. At the Ohio, the guy went nearby the side up until an excellent dirt caution occurred while you are he, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and you will Carl Edwards was basically all to the pit path. Earnhardt perform go an effective lap off, make revolution-around, and you may wind up 16th. Within Richmond, the guy finished 10th. At Talladega, he went a beneficial lap down early just after certain fucking which have Joe Nemechek. But not, which have a warning to have a fail to your lap 43, Earnhardt had this new totally free admission discover straight back to your lead lap. He generated his in the past right up from the community with the Top 5, however, tucked back into 17th in the bottom.