WATCH: Jimmie Johnson Spins in His Return Race After a Late Contact With Brad Keselowski

Jimmie Johnson nearly won his first NASCAR Cup Series win in three years. Restarting third with only 19 laps to go in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, the seven-time Cup champion was starting within the line.

Not long after setting the race’s quickest lap time, he realized he had a vehicle deserving of beating Martin Truex Jr. as well as Ryan Blaney before him.

At that point Brad Keselowski got a major hop on the restart from fifth behind Johnson, dodging to within directly after the finish line. Jimmie Johnson attempted to square him.

The 44-year-old was past the point of no return. This was too late as Keselowski had made the move against Jimmie Johnson. However, the contact between the two vehicles sent Johnson turning into the Kentucky Speedway infield.

Johnson wound up completing eighteenth while Keselowski completed ninth. Rookie driver Cole Custer won the race with a last-lap pass.

Nonetheless, Johnson’s next opportunity to “restart behind Keselowski” could come on Wednesday night in the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

A non-point race at the track for sure would be the ideal spot to get whatever vengeance Johnson feels he needs to exact.

The following point race in the Cup Series comes Sunday at the Texas Motor Speedway.

As reported by Bob Pockrass, Brad Keselowski says the contact with Jimmie Johnson that sent Jimmie around on a restart with 19 laps to go at Kentucky Speedway couldn’t be evaded.

“That was kind of unavoidable contact at the time. I don’t know. Hate that I ruined his day. I don’t necessarily know what to do different. If I had stayed in line and just pushed him. I was gonna get gobbled like I did on the last restart.

“So just part of the mayhem with these restarts. … Everybody knows that the only real chance you have to pass is on a restart, and it’s a give-and-take fest,” said Keselowski.

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