RELATED: Johnson’s interview after wreck
The race for eight will have to wait.
Jimmie Johnson’s plans for a second consecutive and record-breaking eighth overall championship came to an end shortly before the end of Stage 2 in Sunday’s Round of 8 cutoff race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Phoenix Raceway.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver’s No. 48 Chevrolet cut a tire and hit the wall, and he took it to the garage.
“With a few laps to go to the end of the stage, as soon as I got in the corner and touched the brakes the right front just blew,” Johnson said after being evaluated and released from the infield care center. “I hate it for this team. They’ve worked so hard all year long and I’m very proud of their efforts.”
Johnson missed the cut to make it to the Championship 4 next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Even without the accident, Johnson would have faced an uphill battle. He entered Phoenix eighth in the Playoff standings, needing a win to advance. Johnson finished 10th in the first stage and was running 11th on Lap 150 when he hit the wall.
“Unfortunately we won’t have a chance to make eight this year but we’ll come back next year and try a little harder,” said Johnson, a three-time winner in 2017.
“Disappointed for sure. The last couple months, you can’t just stay alive. You have to be running on all cylinders and we just haven’t been there, unfortunately. I’m very thankful for all the hard work that’s gone into this and from Chad and the team but we just can’t get there right now.”
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