Dale Earnhardt Jr. says intentionally spinning his car out to bring out a caution flag at Bristol was a mistake. He told PRN’s Garagepass that NASCAR President Mike Helton spoke to him about the integrity of the sport and Dale Jr. agreed saying “NASCAR has to hold up the integrity of the sport and when you look at it from that standpoint something needed to be done I suppose. Nobody likes to get penalized, but it’s something that couldn’t be overlooked. At the time I was doing it I didn’t realize I was making a mistake or breaking any rules, I was doing what first popped into my mind at that time. Maybe if I had time to think it over and made a different decision, but in the heat of the battle I had no time to think, you know, and that’s what I came up with and it wasn’t the best idea. So we’ll try not to make it a huge negative on our part and try to move past it as fast as you can. I hate that I made it because it’s a bad representation of myself and the sport and what we’re trying to accomplish because I want to do what’s best for the sport. I don’t want to do anything that’s going to be a negative on everything we’re doing and I don’t want to do anything that’s altering the show or anything like that…and when you put it that light I feel pretty bad about it. I’m totally cool with everything and understand why the fine and penalty was given to me and just really want to move past it with a win here in Texas would be great.”(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)(4-2-2004)
