BROOKLYN, Mich. - Storm clouds gathered over Michigan International Speedway for the final laps of Sunday's LifeLock 400, but a single ray of sunshine stayed on Dale Earnhardt Jr. all the way to the finish line.

A pair of cautions in the last six laps helped Earnhardt win the race on fumes and end a losing streak that had lasted more than two years.

On the same weekend NASCAR told drivers to stop complaining about the new generation race car, Earnhardt did his best to shift attention to other matters. He ran the final 55 laps - 110 miles - on one tank of gas, going about seven laps further than most expected.

The cautions helped, especially after Sam Hornish Jr.'s spin on the 198th lap. Earnhardt saved gas by speeding past the pace car to build momentum, turning the engine off and coasting.

When Michael Waltrip and Patrick Carpentier tangled on the first lap of overtime, Earnhardt coasted during final lap under caution. Without that break, he may have run out of gas.

"We were stumbling coming off (Turn) 4 (to take the while flag)," Earnhardt said, shortly before rain moved the Victory Lane ceremonies into the garage area. "Then the caution came out. We were stumbling to make it.

"I had enough to win the race."

When Bobby Labonte spun off the second corner with 52 laps remaining, every car on the lead lap stopped for fuel, most knowing they still didn't have enough to finish. Kasey Kahne and Hornish stopped seven laps later to top off when Robby Gordon crashed .

That's when crew chief Tony Eury Jr. decided to gamble . The cautions allowed Earnhardt to save gas by turning the engine off, and that turned the odds in their favor.

"Those cautions helped out and reduced it down to two laps short," Eury said. " We were either going to either win or finish 25th. Him coasting was the difference."

If not for Earnhardt, the late strategy would have worked perfectly for Kahne. He was second when the yellow flag waved in overtime, and spent the final two miles running behind Earnhardt's sputtering Chevrolet.

Jimmie Johnson, Vickers and Kenseth dominated most of the race, combining to lead 150 laps. But they were caught by the fuel strategy game at the end. Earnhardt, who left his family's company for Hendrick Motorsports during the off-season, led five times for 14 laps for his first win in 77 races and for the first time with Hendrick.

"This takes (the) monkey off our backs," team owner Rick Hendrick said.

Reach Don Coble at don.coble@morris.com.