Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr comment after wrecking for the NASCAR win on final lap of the Roval

Johnson and Truex wrecked in the final set of corners for the win in the first Roval race -Truex spun him out after the race (Video)

Martin Truex Jr: “We finished 14th and he’s locked out of the playoffs. I guess that’s what he gets … There’s nothing you can do about guys running you over.”

In the final chicane of the Charlotte Roval, Johnson risked it all. He was running 2nd to Martin Truex Jr. If he finished there, Johnson would have advanced to the Round of 12.

But, he went for the win. Johnson was hard on the brakes into turn 15. He wheel hopped into turn 16 and the car jumped backwards. He clipped Martin Truex Jr and both leaders went spinning off the final corner.

Both drivers re-fired. Johnson crossed the line in 8th and Truex in 14th.

After the race…

Truex was still on the gas in turn one. He was after the bumper of the #48. He located Johnson and spun him around after the race.

Jimmie Johnson: “I was more worried about the win than anything else. Wheel hopping and taking Martin and I out, that’s the last thing that I wanted to do.”

“I put pressure on him into turn three and he washed up. I thought I was going to be in the prime braking zone going into that final turn and have a shot at it.”

“When I went to the brakes it started locking and wheel hopping. I didn’t think I hit him at first. But, I guess I collected him in my spin.”

“We were in a transfer position and didn’t get it. Those wins are so important. The veteran could have taken the safe route and didn’t. Unfortunately, it took us out of the playoffs.”

Martin Truex Jr
Martin Truex Jr

Martin Truex Jr: “Last corner desperation behind us, that’s what you get,” said a frustrated Truex in a team report released following the race. “He just over-drove it and was never going to make it and used me as brakes and turned us both around.”

“It sucks, we could have raced side-by-side off the last corner for a win and that would have been cool. The fans would have been digging it, but instead we finished 14th and he’s locked out of the playoffs. I guess that’s what he gets.”

“He [Jimmie Johnson] wasn’t ever going to make it through that corner whether I was there or not. Just desperation on his part and pretty stupid really if you think about it because he was locked into the next round and now he’s out. I guess if there’s a silver lining, that’s it.”

“Want to thank Auto-Owners Insurance and all their associates with what they did with this race car being teal for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and it was a big day for us. It would have been really fun to take it to victory lane, but at the end of the day it wasn’t meant to be and we’ll move on to the next one.”

“It was crazy,” Truex said of the Roval. “We at one point got spun by the 2 (Brad Keselowski) in the same corner and had to go to the rear – thought we were done. Restarted 27th and drove our way up through the field.”

“You never knew what was going to happen today. Just trying to survive and we were in the right spot and did everything right and we got spun out twice and there’s nothing you can do about guys running you over.”

Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson

Johnson continued with his thoughts of the race on twitter. He issued another apology to Truex.

Johnson: “Everyone makes mistakes… apologies to the 78 and all of their fans,” Jimmie Johnson stated via twitter after the race.

On Monday morning, Johnson thought about it some more. He has ideas of what he can do next time. He has better ideas for making the same move, next time.

“After sleeping on it… I would only change one thing. I should’ve added front brake bias heading into the braking zone… I think we would’ve been door to door with the 78 across the S/F line. Bring on Dover.”

Jimmie Johnson has spent the last 17 years of his racing career as a full-time driver. So far, 2018 is his first NASCAR season without a win. Until this year, Johnson’s lowest win count of his full-time career came in 2011 where he picked up two wins.

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was set to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Instead, he’s out in the first round.

Johnson and Truex crash for the win at The Roval

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Jimmie Johnson | Martin Truex Jr | Charlotte Motor Speedway | NASCAR

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