by Darrell Waltrip

In 1990, NASCAR penalized Jack Roush and Mark Martin 46 points for an illegal carburetor spacer, and Martin ended up losing the championship by 26 points to Dale Earnhardt. The penalty cost Roush his first NASCAR championship, and it cost Martin one of the best shots he ever had at winning a title.

Fourteen years later, NASCAR penalized Dale Earnhardt Jr. for not "taking the fifth" in victory lane after he took his fifth win at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday. NASCAR's 25-point penalty could cost Dale Earnhardt Inc. its first Cup title and Earnhardt Jr.'s best chance so far of winning a championship.

A penalty decided the 1990 Winston Cup championship, and it would be ironic to me if a penalty decides the 2004 championship.

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Beating yourself in the Chase

Earnhardt Jr. didn't lose his point lead by getting beaten on the track, he beat himself after the race was over. I think it's important to note that the drivers have been warned on many occasions about their language during interwiews throughout the weekend but particularly after races.

As I noted at Dover when Matt Kenseth crashed getting on to pit road, he broke DW's golden rule: Don't beat yourself. I stamped it on my forehead, and I tell our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver David Reutimann every chance I get.

Every driver — especially every driver in the Chase for the Championship — should tape that rule to his dash.