Earnhardt Jr. wins, but cursing could be costly

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was nearly perfect on the racetrack. His only real slipup Sunday came in Victory Lane during a postrace television interview.

Junior, who charged from 11th place to a victory and the series points lead in the last five laps of the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, put that lead in jeopardy by cursing during an NBC Sports interview.

In February at Rockingham, NASCAR president Mike Helton explicitly told drivers to watch their mouths on radio and television. Less than a month later, Johnny Sauter was fined $25,000 and docked 25 points after cursing during a radio interview following the Busch Series race in Las Vegas.

"I'm worried about losing some points," said Earnhardt, who moved into the series lead by 13 points over Kurt Busch, who finished fifth Sunday.

"Johnny said it in a fit of anger. I said it in Victory Lane," Earnhardt said. "I hope they understand that it was in jubilation and I know me and those other guys that got fined let it slip, but it's two different circumstances.

"I think that when you're happy and joyous about something and it happens, I think it's different than being angry and cursing in anger. Of course, we don't want to promote that."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his way from 11th with five laps left to win.(Getty Images)

NASCAR spokeswoman Denise Maloof said Nextel Cup director John Darby and vice president for competition Robin Pemberton were "aware of the situation and would address it on Tuesday or Wednesday. That doesn't necessarily mean that he will be fined or lose points."

The verbal slips took some of the edge off a very big day by Earnhardt.

"I'm a little worried about that, but I've won five races this year and I'm pretty thrilled," Junior said. "I wasn't expecting to have such a great season."

Although he was at or near the front for virtually the entire EA Sports 500, leading a race-high 78 of the 188 laps, Earnhardt fell behind when crew chief Tony Eury Sr. decided to gamble on two fresh right-side tires on his final pit stop.

Eury decided to take advantage of the fact that Earnhardt was already on pit road for his final stop when a yellow flag came out for a crash involving Sterling Marlin and Bobby Labonte.

Still, other drivers got ahead of Earnhardt by staying on the track or taking only fuel on their final stops during the last of five caution periods in the race. But it made little difference once the green flag waved for lap 184.