JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S PATRIOTIC CHEVROLET SS – INVOLVED IN AN ON-TRACK INCIDENT ON LAP 236
WHAT HAPPENED?
“The root of our biggest problem was the fact that the alternator quit working and we had to keep changing batteries on pit road each caution. Then when I would go back out on the race track I would need to run with my fans off. I didn’t have my brake fans on and was racing hard to try to get a decent finish and evidently just got things too hot and the brakes failed. I felt a rotor explode on the front straightaway. Luckily it did it there so I had time to throw it in third gear, slow it down some, stay wide into turn one and try not to have a bad angle of the impact of the wall because I was going to hit for sure. So, it was just bad day that kept getting worse. I hope to make it home safe and outside of that, we will see you in Homestead.
TALK ABOUT YOUR MISERABLE DAY
“Yeah, it was just a tough day. We had several issues that went on. The alternator wasn’t working. And then we were changing batteries out the whole time every caution. We lost a lap. The car wouldn’t re-fire once. We got our lap back; and then running with no fans and racing in traffic I guess just got the brakes too hot and blew the rotor going down the front stretch. Luckily it was on the straight so I could downshift to third (gear) and try to get it into the outside wall to slow it down so the impact wouldn’t be too bad. It was a terrible day, for sure. But we tested in Homestead and I’m looking forward to going down there.”