In the aftermath of a brutally abusive opening race in the seventh annual Chase, “tight” was the best way to describe the air around Jimmie Johnson and his four-time defending champion Hendrick Motorsports team.
After a one-lap-down, 25th-place finish in the Sylvania 300—at the same New Hampshire Motor Speedway venue where Johnson had won this summer—Johnson and his crew were left with tightly-focused eyes, tightly-pursed lips and maybe a little tightness in the stomach thanks to an unofficial 92-point deficit to Chase leader Denny Hamlin.
“No, it wasn’t [the kind of day we wanted],” said Johnson, who leaves NHMS seventh in the standings. “It’s just unfortunate, but it is the way it is. We showed up, we did everything that we could. We had a decent car and got up to the top five, top 10 but just didn’t turn out with the finish we wanted. We’ll go home, get to work and come back next week and try to do it again.”
Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus was looking grim as he walked down the back of pit road, still speaking into his radio headset as he was surrounded by myriad crewmen moving equipment and personal belongings. He said he “didn’t know yet” what had caused the vibration that compelled Johnson to hit pit road on Lap 255, dropping him a lap and a half behind.
Earlier this season, Johnson had opined that his team was possibly the best it’s ever been. It might get a chance to prove it. In his first championship season, 2006, Johnson was 139 points out of first after New Hampshire.
“I don’t know [if we’re better]—I guess we’ll find out,” Knaus said. “[The day] got a lot more exciting than what I had anticipated. It looked like it was gonna be a pretty nice, top-10 day—just kind of cruise through. But stuff changes pretty quick when you’ve got people spinning out and weird stuff like that happens. NASCAR.com
“Still nine races left,” Johnson said. “We did everything we could today and we’ll show up next weekend and do all we can then and hopefully rebound and gain some points.”
“Teams like the 48, they’re so good at rebounding,” Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon said. “You can’t ever count those guys out.”
Up next for Johnson is Dover, where he was 16th earlier this year. He won both Dover races last year, then had the dominant car in the first race there this season until he was penalized for speeding on the final pit stop.
Two races later, it’s off to Fontana, Calif., where Johnson recorded the first of his five victories this season.
So, yeah, this Chase isn’t over.
“He’s still the guy everybody’s chasing,” race winner Clint Bowyer said. The Canadian Press
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