Jimmie Johnson hoped to leave Daytona International Speedway Saturday night after a triumphant return. Instead he left after a visit to the infield care center while his mangled Chevy left the track on the back of a tow truck.
The Coke Zero 400 was a scenario reminiscent of one that played out in February during the season opening Daytona 500. At least Johnson was able to complete more than one lap Saturday night. In this year’s Daytona 500 Johnson was swept up in a crash as the field raced towards turn one on the second lap; his Chevy was sent headlong into the outside wall and Johnson was done, scored 42 out of 43 cars.
Saturday night Johnson made it to lap 124. As the field came into turn 4 the leaders began to slow to enter the pits for green flag stops. Johnson was caught up in a chain reaction and sent headlong into the inside wall. Jeff Gordon, Regan Smith, Joey Logano, Michael Waltrip and Bill Elliott were among the others caught up in the ensuing melee. MORE>>>
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.
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