Darlington, SC (Best E Casino) - According to Dale Earnhardt Inc. Vice President Richie Gilmore, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and owner Teresa Earnhardt were penalized 100 points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 and suspended for six races after the car failed Saturday's pre-race inspection at the Darlington Raceway.

The No.8 DEI Chevrolet was found to have illegal brackets used to mount the rear wing on the Nextel Cup Series' new Car of Tomorrow.

Eury Jr. called it an "interpretation." "It was a bad deal," he said. "It was a part that got put on there that shouldn't have. We've done a lot of off- season testing for NASCAR. There's been three different styles of brackets on there and it just happened to be one of those old-style brackets.

"I was definitely not trying to get away with nothing, so you can take it for what it is," said Eury Jr.

The 100-point penalty will drop "Junior" from 12th place to 14th place.