via Getty
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 07: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
via Getty
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 07: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 07, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson is well-known for being a legend in the NASCAR arena. However, no matter how revered he is, he was also susceptible to losing his temper. This is actually a fairly common trait for most NASCAR drivers, as they wear their hearts on their sleeves. Back in 2015 at Chicago, Johnson got involved in a massive row with rival Kevin Harvick.
The confrontation took place outside the track when an incensed Harvick stormed up to Jimmie Johnson. Things then turned into a one-sided shoving match with the Stewart-Haas Racing driver as the aggressor. For his part, Johnson simply tried to walk away and avoid losing his temper.
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Speaking after the race, Harvick said, “I got a fairly good restart. Just a little tire wheelspin and shifted into third gear. I saw those guys coming on the apron and we got together and had a good run up.
“He [Johnson] just slammed into the side of the door like I wasn’t even there. My spotter was telling me four-wide and I guess he figured that he’d just come up the racetrack.”
What happened between Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick?
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Admittedly, the real instigator of the incident was Joey Logano in the #22 Penske car. As it turned out, he got into the back of Johnson and gave him a shove. The #48 Hendrick Motorsports driver got alongside the #4 Stewart-Haas Racing car and they touched. Later on, poor old Harvick lost control and slammed into the wall.
USA Today via Reuters
Sep 27, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) leads driver Jimmie Johnson (48) during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, Johnson revealed that some drivers got loose on the track. Owing to that, he knew that the top lane was not an option. Jimmie Johnson was extremely gutted to lose out, because he felt that he had a good car. Additionally, he believed that a Top 2 or Top 3 was definitely possible.
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Unfortunately, what was done is done and there is nothing that either driver could do about it to change the result. In the end, Denny Hamlin led a Joe Gibbs Racing 1-2 ahead of Stewart-Haas driver Carl Edwards. Meanwhile, Johnson could only muster 11th, and Harvick retired from the race.
READ MORE: Jimmie Johnson Talks About His Recent IndyCar Multi-Car Incident
