How do you like this? I know Melisa must be lovin it. [img]/images/graemlins/supergrin.gif[/img] I know I am. [img]/images/graemlins/smiles[/img]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was hit Wednesday with a $10,000 fine and the loss of 25 NASCAR Nextel Cup points for purposely causing a caution flag in the race at Bristol.
Earnhardt had fallen behind because of a tire problem and was in danger of going down a lap when he spun, bringing out a yellow flag that allowed him to pit for tires and stay on the lead lap during the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway last Sunday. He wound up finishing 11th.
After the spin, Earnhardt was heard telling his team on the radio that he had never spun on purpose before.
"The driver of the No. 8 car was quite vocal in admitting he intentionally spun out his car to cause a caution condition on the track, which is clearly prohibited in the NASCAR rule book," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "We have several rules that have been in place for quite some time to prevent someone from altering the outcome of an event. This was a clear cut case of that."
Despite losing the 25 points, Earnhardt will still go into Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway third in the standings. But he now trails leader Matt Kenseth by 66 points and runner-up Kurt Busch, the Bristol winner, by 45.
Earnhardt, the son of the late seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt, is off to the best start of his career with two victories in the first six races of the 2004 season.
Teresa Earnhardt, owner of Earnhardt's Chevrolet, accepted NASCAR's decision.
"We regret what this has cost us in our pursuit of the Nextel Cup Championship," she said in a statement. "In the heat of battle, a lot of things can happen and decisions can be made that come at a high cost.
"It was a mistake we've all learned from and we have to move past it."
Cheatin bastard. Reminds me of last year when he intentionally spun Jimmie so his boy Waltrip could take first and he could get his lap back.. Glad they caught him :clap:
This just further reinforces the fact that when you do something you're not suppose to, you keep your damn mouth shut. He deserves all he gets for being a
This just further reinforces the fact that when you do something you're not suppose to, you keep your damn mouth shut. He deserves all he gets for being a
Ain't that the truth! He could learn a thing or two from his old man.
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