Jimmie Johnson Wrecks on Lap 3 at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series championship got a little more interesting only three laps into Sunday's Dickie's 500 at Texas Motor Speedway when points leader Jimmie Johnson was collected in a crash, his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet suffering major damage.

Johnson was able to continue but lengthy repairs were necessary in the garage resulting in a potentially substantial change in his hefty points lead. Entering the race, Johnson held a 184-point lead over second place Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin, nearly the equivalent of one full race.

Johnson is attempting to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive Cup titles.

The accident happened when David Reutimann clipped the left rear quarter panel of Sam Hornish's Dodge which spun up the race track and into Johnson's car as the pack was exiting Turn 2 of the 1.5-mile track. Johnson's Chevy hit the wall despite his best efforts to collect it.

Johnson's car remained in the garage for 112 laps for repairs before returning to the track on lap 115 - having lost approximately 100 points to his challengers. He made one lap in the car - which was missing a rear bumper and sported a logo-less replacement black hood then had to pit so the crew could fix a rear tire rub. He returned to competition, scored in 43rd position.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

11-08-2009 @ 4:47PM

Randy said...

Another terrible Crapota driver causing wrecks!

11-08-2009 @ 7:03PM

cheppa2000 said...

Wow, how long did it take you to come up with "Crapota" or did you steal that from someone else? I mean, it's so, I don't know, unoriginal.

11-08-2009 @ 5:11PM

al said...

poor jimmy but anyway what the h____ does morone do to his fuel to pull away the way he does if anyone says its the driver no way

11-08-2009 @ 6:15PM

xqqme22 said...

Now Im gonna sound like you Johnson Haters. Nascar staged the wreck of Johnson to make it intersting.Yep they fixed it so he wouldnt run away with it.Do I sound as dumb as you people that believe they fix the races so Johnson wins.DUHHHHHH....yep,I sure do.

11-08-2009 @ 8:05PM

THE 48 SUCKS said...

HEY EXCUSE ME 4,USUALLY CHEAT KNAUS AND JJ FIXES THE CHEATS.NOT NASCAR. NASCAR ONLY THROWS CAUTION FLAGS TO DISTRACT THE FANS FROM THE CHEAT.
ALSO NASCAR IS IN A CONSPIRACY PLOT WITH HMS AND COUPLE OTHER TEAMS TO HAND JJ ANOTHER TITLE BUT TODAY SOMETHING WENT BADLY WRONG.WHO GAINS?MARTIN AND GORDON,STILL HMS,RIGHT?

11-08-2009 @ 9:02PM

halfjayhawk said...

You are totally correct!!!! NASCAR should "learn" that #48 is total loser,with out fixing races he couldn't win!

11-08-2009 @ 7:47PM

jaybird said...

toyotas rule the road!!!!!

11-08-2009 @ 8:13PM

the equalizer said...

About time the cheat team gets some bad luck.I hope they crash in the next couple races too or the engine blow, so martin can win the championship.Enough of this 48 fixed fiction every year, and you all jeff gordon fans?
What a wash your driver has been today;he missed a golden opportunity.Jeff is DONE PERMANENTLY.

11-09-2009 @ 1:00PM

racings12a said...

It amazes me that you people want to call Johnson and Knaus cheats. The only reason you do is because they are winning races and championships. Like no other teams only that one pushes the limits. How quick we forget Michael Waltrip getting caught with and illegal fuel additive in last years Daytona 500, or Rousch and Carl"Flip" Edwards getting caught with the oil breather cap off in a race or how about Gibbs and the magnet trick to keep Nascar from knowing the true Toyota horsepower, what would you call them, huh, huh? ALL the teams try to push the limits, ALL OF THEM!!! And I'm not even a Johnson fan.

11-08-2009 @ 8:18PM

ed rockwell said...

im no jimmy fan BUT they need to park sam hornish"no driving idiot" before he kills someone.

11-08-2009 @ 9:22PM

newmunn1239 said...

not sam's fault 00's. all u morons that think nascar's fake go watch something else

11-08-2009 @ 9:24PM

nsarmento said...

Jimmie Johnson is a fine young man, and one hell of a driver. He doesn't whine, he doesn't scream, he doesn't act like a lunatic. Good guy, good driver. No, GREAT driver. A lot of the other drivers could learn from Jimmie, and so could their fans. Sorry this happened to him today, but that is racing and he clearly understands that. But it was good to see the old guy catching up with him a little too!

11-08-2009 @ 10:43PM

rlh1730 said...

David Reutimann causes another wreck - nothing new to report here. But I did find it interesting that when Jeff Gordon was about to go a lap down, a "debris" caution came out.

11-08-2009 @ 11:07PM

cqdeed said...

Much better race than last weeks mess. I prefer races that allow the drivers to actually race for a win. -- Edgar

11-08-2009 @ 11:18PM

williamf1965 said...

All of you Jimmie Johnson haters go back and look at yourselves.. you are probably the ones who like the Busch brothers who are the dirtiest drivers around today.. And what about Mark Martin?? Cmon at 50 he should be retiring.. Instead now he is winning all these tournaments.. Lets see who the real cheaters are.. Johnson never cries about this driver or that one.. The busches everytime you turn around are crying over some driver.. Grow up everyone.. #48 forever..

11-09-2009 @ 9:19AM

jj48isgreat said...

NASCAR JUSTICE: Do you know that the Hendrick teams supposedly share information? Don't you think that it might be that they all "cheat" if they share? "Gray areas" are not under the "cheating" category. It would be under the "creative-nobody else thought of it before" or the "more clever than NASCAR" category.

11-09-2009 @ 1:14AM

EARNHARDT88SUCKS said...

YES ALL YOU 48 DISLIKERS, IT WAS ABOUT TIME THAT THIS BORING JJ DRIVER HAD A WRECK.It made many of us happy as i can see.I HOPE HE GETS THE SAME OR WORST WRECKS IN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS SO SOME OTHER DRIVER CAN FINALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE TITLE.MEANWHILE EARNHARDT 88 AGAIN DID NOT ACHIEVE HIS USUAL DNF IN THE WALL, BUT HE STILL GOT ANOTHER LOSER FINISH.THE 88 TEST DUMMY DRIVER IS SO SKILLESS,
SO FICTIOUS, THAT HE COULD NOT EVEN GET HIS CAR RESTARTED AND SO THERE HE GOES WITH ANOTHER BACKROW FAILURE ENDING.WHERE IS BREAD STIX? SOON
JUNIOR WILL RETIRE OR GET KICKED OUT AND SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DESPEAR ANYMORE ABOUT THIS 88 CHICKEN CLOWN DRIVER.GOT THAT BREAD STIX?DO NOT DESPEAR ANYMORE.

11-09-2009 @ 2:16AM

racingnumber73 said...

i think one of jrs problems is his dad dieing and hes not doing good with that

11-09-2009 @ 9:02AM

I find it VERY INTERESTING than Danica is "going to race for Junior". In theory, I think she is going to race for Hendrick, but legally, he can't bring on any more teams under "his name". They are both clearly over-rated. Junior gets the attention because of his father, Danica because she is a woman in a typically man's sport. Danica has enough talent to help her "race with the guys", but I find it so incredibly funny how she is going to be racing for Junior. What a combination.