Jimmie Johnson takes a big Chase hit with Kansas crash
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The title hopes of six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson took a major hit early in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
On lap 85, Johnson was involved in a multi-car crash that apparently was sparked by Greg Biffle's sliding car. Biffle hit Johnson, sending him across the track and into the inside wall. Josh Wise and Justin Allgaier also were involved.
Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team worked frantically to repair the heavily damaged car and return Johnson to the track. When he finally resumed racing on lap 155, Johnson was 69 laps down in 40th place.
Johnson, the reigning titlist vying for a seventh crown that would tie him with NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty, typically is very strong at 1.5-mile layouts.
One of 12 drivers remaining in the championship hunt, Johnson now might need a victory at Charlotte next week or at Talladega the following week to advance to the next Chase round after finishing 40th, 87 laps behind race winner Joey Logano.
It marked his worst finish in a Chase race since 2005 at Homestead.
"I'll certainly need W's, I assume, going forward," Johnson said. "This puts a premium on next week and the weekend after. It means we've got to be on our game at Charlotte and Talladega. There's still a lot of racing left. We'll see how the other Chasers do."
Johnson said earlier in the weekend at Kansas that a key to his playoff success has been a positive mental attitude.
"We've had examples of tracks and drivers over the years that some people just don't like going to them, and that black cloud follows them around and they have a bad day," Johnson said. "It's one small piece of our championships is that the races in the Chase have been good tracks for us. We show up with smiles on our faces, and we kind of know what we're looking for if we're off base.There are some tracks in the middle of the summer that I go to, and I don't know where to lead the team, and I'm thankful that we don't have any of those tracks in the Chase."
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus will need to be especially positive now.
Johnson started the race 32nd after spinning in qualifying. It was the worst starting position of a Chase race in nearly 10 years for the No. 48 Chevrolet, which also started 32nd in the 2005 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Johnson has qualified outside the top 30 only one other time in 104 Chase starts, a 39th at Homestead in '04).
He had been working his way up through the field while trying to keep from going a lap down.
"These three tracks should be a lot of fun," Johnson said Friday. "The first two, I feel that we really have a good chance of winning."