▁David ▁Pear son . ▁Gordon ▁became ▁the ▁winning est ▁driver ▁in ▁the ▁modern ▁era ▁of ▁the ▁sport , ▁passing ▁Dar rell ▁W alt rip . ▁ ▁Gordon ▁strugg led ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁season , ▁despite ▁a ▁pole ▁at ▁T alla de ga , ▁failing ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁in ▁points . ▁At ▁Po cono , ▁Gordon ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁team mate ▁J imm ie ▁Johnson ' s ▁right - re ar ▁t ire ▁failure ▁on ▁a ▁late ▁restart ▁just ▁immediately ▁before ▁an ▁expected ▁large ▁th under st orm ▁ra ined ▁onto ▁the ▁track , ▁thus ▁giving ▁him ▁his ▁ 8 6 th ▁Cup ▁victory ▁and ▁sixth ▁at ▁the ▁track , ▁sur pass ing ▁Elli ott ▁for ▁the ▁most ▁wins ▁at ▁the ▁track . ▁At ▁Richmond , ▁despite ▁troubles ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁race ▁that ▁m ired ▁him ▁a ▁lap ▁down , ▁Gordon ▁r al lied ▁to ▁finish ▁second ▁to ▁Cl int ▁Bow yer , ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁e ighth ▁Ch ase ▁for ▁the ▁S print ▁Cup . ▁At ▁the ▁November ▁Phoenix ▁race , ▁Gordon ▁was ▁running ▁near ▁the ▁front ▁until ▁Bow yer ▁again ▁made ▁contact ▁and ▁forced ▁him ▁into ▁the ▁wall . ▁Gordon ▁then ▁cut ▁a ▁t ire ▁when ▁trying ▁to ▁ret ali ate ▁and ▁was ▁pen al ized ▁with ▁a ▁black - flag ▁for ▁both ▁his ▁attempt ▁at ▁ret ali ation ▁and ▁failing ▁to ▁come ▁down ▁pit ▁road ▁to ▁fix ▁his ▁t ire . ▁In ▁reply ▁to ▁the ▁black - flag ▁Gordon ▁ret ali