Issue turns out to be non-issue for NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 16: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, stands on the grid during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2014 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 16:  Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, stands on the grid during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2014 in Homestead, Florida.  (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, stands on the grid during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2014 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

Nearly lost admit the furor of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup championship deciding race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was a late race issue between  the Hendrick Motorsports team of  driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus. Nearing the three-quarter mark of the race, shortly after a round of pit stops, NASCAR officials told Knaus as well as several representatives from the organization including the competition director, that they would need to report to the NASCAR hauler after the race.

Any competitor called to the NASCAR hauler can usually expect a less than pleasant meeting.  The only information that leaked out prior to the meeting was that Knaus had not followed a NASCAR directive. After the race in which Johnson finished ninth, Knaus, Johnson and executive vice president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports Doug Duchardt dutifully reported to the hauler.

Afterwards Duchardt and NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition and Racing Development Robin Pemberton met with the media and said the entire incident was really over nothing. MORE>>>

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.