NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney comment after confrontation on pit road
On lap 62, Jimmie Johnson held the 14th position and Ryan Blaney wanted it. Blaney had a look on the inside into the turn five carousel.
Johnson came down and he was around. He slid across the track and stood on the gas to try and avoid the wall. Yet, he made moderate contact with the outside tire barrier.
“I want you to go find his spotter and tell him I’m going to beat his fucking ass,” Johnson came over the radio.
“Yes sir,” spotter returned.
Jimmie Johnson now sits tied with Ryan Newman for the 16th and final transfer position into the NASCAR playoffs. Johnson holds the tie-breaker.
After the race
Johnson confronted Ryan Blaney after the race on the pit lane. He sat cold faced as Blaney explained his points. The two were active with hand gestures but no physical confrontation took place.
Jimmie Johnson: “I couldn’t hear what he was saying, his lips were quivering so bad that he can’t even speak. I guess he was nervous or scared or both, I don’t know what the hell the problem is,” Johnson told NBCSN.
“He just drove through me and spun us out and it clearly has big implications on what we’re trying to do for the playoffs right now. Clearly not happy with his actions there.”
“He claims it was racing. I can’t wait to go race him. Everybody stay tuned,” Johnson concluded.
Ryan Blaney: “Just racing. He had old tires. They just did gas only and he was pretty slow and I passed 10 guys off the bus stop all day and he hit the third curb pretty bad and it got him out of position and he was up and I had a good run.”
“I was there. He left probably a lane and a quarter or so. I took it.”
“At first he didn’t turn down. I thought he knew I was there. I tried to check up and it was too late. Obviously, I didn’t mean to spin him out. I don’t want to do that.”
“It was obviously an accident. He was upset, and I can’t blame him for being upset about it.”
Jimmie Johnson confronts Ryan Blaney (Video)
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