It was a given that the Brickyard would be a rollercoaster of drama. But who could have guessed just how wild it would get? Multiple wrecks shattered the dreams of many, all chasing that iconic moment of kissing the bricks on the legendary Brickyard. You’ve got to feel for Denny Hamlin—so close yet again at Indianapolis, only to see it slip away. However, Hamlin wasn’t the only seasoned wheelman caught in the multiple crashes that happened. Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time Cup champion who’s been struggling to find his footing in the series for a long time, had an early exit too. And a disappointed Johnson opened up about his crash in a post-race interview.

Jimme Johnson’s run cut short in Brickyard

Drama-filled The Brickyard 400 concluded as Kyle Larson took the checkered flag on the 30th anniversary of the race. It’s his fourth-season win and the 27th of his career. Tyler Reddick finished right behind him in second place. Defending champion Ryan Blaney was third, followed by Christopher Bell in fourth. Taking the 5th spot was Bubba Wallace, securing some much-needed points for his playoff chances. What a stunt for the 23XI driver!

The race returned to the legendary oval after 3 years (2020–2023), where it was played on the road course. The race was nothing short of a thriller, with several crashes piling cars up. Several drivers had their runs cut short. Among them was also Denny Hamlin, a favorite to win at the Brickyard, who missed out once again.

Additionally, the four-time brickyard winner (2006, ’08, ’09, ’12), Jimmie Johnson, the Legacy Motor Club owner, hasn’t won a race since 2017. And Indianapolis proved to be no different. In the qualification, he could not secure a good starting position. JJ started from the 33rd and climbed to the 11th, hoping to finish in the top 10. However, on lap 109, just after the restart, Johnson was nudged from the back by #22, sending him into the fence.

The crash wasn’t Logano’s fault. The incident started when Carson Hocevar made contact with Ryan Blaney, creating a chain reaction leading up to Logano. This led to Logano hitting the rear of the #84. Post the crash, Jimmie shared what unfolded on the track to Frontstretch: “Yeah, I was cruising along on then bottom and got hit in the right. Turned in the outside fence. The restarts are so aggressive everybody’s pushing to the end of the race and it’s go time.” 

Feb 14, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (84) speaks with reporters during media day at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY SportsJimmie Johnson was evidently disappointed with his run being cut short because he was in a good position to finish. He wanted to get a top 10 or a top 5 for his sponsor, Carvana. The Tempe, Arizona-based multi-billion-dollar company has supported Jimmie through thick and thin. He mentioned, “Want to get a great result for Carvana. They have supported me through my adventure In the Indy car and here in NASCAR coming back. I really want to get a good result for them and obviously get our company into just being regulars in top 10, top 5.”

Additionally, Joey Logano also came forward and spoke about the crash; according to him, it was once again the rookie villain, Carson Hocevar, who got a little greedy. Reiterating the same; Logano said, “It scared the hell out of me. I never saw it. I mean, Carson had a good restart and filled the gap in the center; you can’t blame him for that but he went for a little bit more and got a little greedy, it seemed like.”

Several veterans missed out on the Brickyard 400. But it was Denny Hamlin who was the saddest. Although it is not all bad news for him, his team, 23XI Racing, had a stellar run.

A disappointed Hamlin would be happy as an owner

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Denny Hamlin won’t be kissing the bricks just yet. Going into the race, Hamlin was an absolute favorite. The Brickyard 400 has been the missing piece in his puzzle for the longest time. The #11 had a good qualification, securing him a P2. However, he could not capitalize on it, as he got wrapped up in yet another massive crash on the track.

Hamlin had a great start as he went on to win stage 1. However, it all came crashing down when John Hunter Nemechek turned down and hit Daniel Hemric’s bumper. Who in turn hit the end of the pit road wall and, while coming back across the field into turn 1, caused a multi-car crash. Which roped in veteran Denny Hamlin, ending his dream to kiss the bricks in 2024. Others that were involved in the pile-up were Chase Briscoe and Alex Bowman.

For Hamlin, the race wasn’t the best as a driver, but he cannot be disappointed as an owner. Both drivers of the 23XI finished in the top 5. Tyler Reddick took the second position, whereas Bubba Wallace took the fifth. Bubba has proved Hamlin wrong when he said that the #23 has lost the pace. Bubba bettered his Pocono run, where he finished 10th. The P5 finish has come at a crucial point where the series is in the race to the playoffs.

There is a big celebration going on at Airspeed, for sure! Tyler Reddick, with his P2, will maintain his strong hold in the top 5 of the points table. As a result, Bubba has gained a position in the points table, standing at 14th now, by getting the much needed 42 points. This is significant, as only four races remain before the playoffs.

The NASCAR Cup series will go into a 2-week break because of the Paris Olympics and will resume in Richmond. Hopefully, the break will prove to be an opportunity to reset for Jimmie Johnson and other struggling drivers to secure their playoff spots. Who do you think will bounce back after the Cup series resumes? Let us know in the comments down below.