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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Earnhardt Admits Role In Wreck
SceneDaily.com  |  Posted February 20, 2009   Fontana, CA
Dale Earnhardt Jr.:“I definitely could have used better judgment coming back up on the race track (Jason Smith/Getty Images Photo)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. struck a more conciliatory tone five days after his controversial run-in with Red Bull Racing’s Brian Vickers in the Daytona 500.

“I definitely could have used better judgment coming back up on the race track,” Earnhardt Jr. said Friday during a media session in front of his team hauler at Auto Club Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr., who initially blamed Vickers for recklessly blocking his forward surge on lap 124 of the Daytona 500, triggered a 10-car melee after nudging the rear of Vickers’ No. 83 Toyota while moving back on the competition surface.

“I hate that it wrecked all them cars,” the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet said. “I hate that me and Brian had to get on bad terms with each other. Those are the things that I regret. But I’m out there racing, and I’ve made mistakes before, and it probably won’t be the last one I make,” he said.

Earnhardt Jr. called Vickers this week in an attempt to resolve their differences.

“He said it was intentional on the television and I wanted to make sure he knew it wasn’t intentional - and I didn’t have a problem with him and that I wouldn’t wreck him intentionally," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Just trying to clear that up with him, and I think we got that cleared up.”

NASCAR’s most popular driver found himself in the unusual position of "bad guy" following the dust-up in Daytona.

“I did get ripped up quite a bit [in the media],” he said. “It was kind of different being on that side of it. I’m not on this side too much. It wasn’t too bad. It’ll all turn around just as quick as it blew up.



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