At the Kentucky, Earnhardt obtained the new rod and put a special track qualifying price checklist that have lap lifetime of mere seconds and a performance out-of kilometers by the hour ( km/h)

Next day from the Race All of the-Star Race, Earnhardt battled a tight approaching auto much of you to nights in advance of completing seventh. The next times on Coca-Cola 600, Earnhardt shed a system and you can done 39th, giving him 1st DNF as the 2011. Within Quicken Finance 400, Earnhardt added 23 laps however, suffered an engine inability, and you can accomplished 37th in what is a minimal point of your seasons towards Hendrick Motorsports teams overall (Kasey Kahne and you may Jeff Gordon both had DNFs due to accidents, and Jimmie Johnson clipped an effective tire with 5 laps to go).[35] Adopting the low out-of Michigan, Earnhardt had a 12th-set finish during the Sonoma.

During the battle, Earnhardt perform head 80 laps, however, carry out find yourself next so you’re able to Jimmie Johnson

[36] No matter if he come on the pole, he shed the lead to Carl Edwards very early. However, if you find yourself Earnhardt was best following the resume out-of a competitor caution (on account of a rainfall decelerate), Denny Hamlin clipped an excellent tire and carcass came up brand new song and are hit of the Earnhardt’s splitter and by Jimmie Johnson’s vehicles, ultimately causing tall wreck. Earnhardt must make numerous charge through the industry to salvage a 12th-place wind up. He then grabbed a keen eighth-lay finish in the Coke Zero eight hundred. The guy, Johnson, and Ryan Newman was really the only three drivers to help you sweep the Top ten in Daytona events.

Earnhardt then battled a troubled automobile at The newest Hampshire, where the guy accomplished 14th. After the latest of day, the guy found particular structure having comes to an end off 6th from the Indianapolis and you will 5th at the Pocono, if you are struggling reduce wheels and vibrations inside a course of one or two days.

The brand new No. 88 group then had a couple crappy days, that have a great 30th-set end at the Watkins Glen on account of a late battle crash having Kasey Kahne. The following few days, Earnhardt blew a right side tire if you’re running regarding Better 10. The damage are enough he complete twenty-six laps off, from inside the 36th lay. So it evaporated his Chase pillow, but with concludes out of tenth in the Bristol and you will 8th in the Atlanta, he was able to rebuild so it pillow. From the Richmond, the very last battle of one’s regular seasons, Earnhardt merely wanted to find yourself 32nd or best to improve Chase. A good 13th-set wind up performed it, in which he registered this new Chase seeded inside ninth put. This was the very first time inside the Earnhardt’s profession he had produced three straight Chase appearances. In the first Chase battle at the Chicagoland Speedway, Earnhardt sustained a system inability, placing your last in Chase race. He bounced straight back on The new Hampshire System Speedway, best 17 laps and you may doing 6th. The end result is actually good enough to move Earnhardt to 11th within the Pursue for the Dash Cup standings having eight events remaining in the year.

In the Dover, Earnhardt sugar baby Aubrey TX won their 2nd pole of the season, function a different qualifying rate list off mph. This is initially while the 2002 he had recorded one or more pole throughout a month. Next day from the Ohio, the guy done 8th. And work out his 500th Glass initiate at Charlotte, Earnhardt led 19 laps very early, however, finished fifteenth if you’re struggling a strict competition car. The second times within Talladega, Earnhardt added 38 laps and you may was about to receive a click away from Austin Dillon to overtake Jamie McMurray into the last lap when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. stolen Dillon, leading to one rider so you’re able to twist away following get hit by the Casey Mears, leaving Earnhardt with a second-place wind up. The second day within Martinville, Earnhardt made an enthusiastic eighth-place become. The following month in the Tx, he’d a substantial nights, completing next to Johnson on 3rd amount of time in the entire year (immediately after Daytona and you will Dover). The following few days on Phoenix, Earnhardt become when you’re obligated to pit which have a free controls early, placing your a good lap down. However, an alert acceptance him to make use of the fresh new 100 % free ticket to locate right back towards the lead lap and you can salvage a 4th-put wind up.