[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”227″]
[/media-credit]Many have already begun to question Jimmie Johnson’s close win at the Aaron’s 499 yesterday. It tied as the closest finish since 1993, when electronic score keeping came to be. Anybody will find something to speculate, and in this case they are speculating whether or not, Jimmie Johnson’s move was actually legal.
Several camera angles proved to be that Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Chevy appeared to have been right on the yellow line, but never crossing it. The only camera angle that appeared to be questionable, was the blimp camera. From a birds eye view, it looked as if it was just past the yellow line slightly. But whether or not he crossed the forbidden yellow line, is not the question.
In 2008, Regan Smith crossed the yellow line as he passed Tony Stewart, in what we thought would be his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory, but instead we saw Tony Stewart celebrating in Victory Lane. This rule was widely criticized but nothing seem to have changed. Granted, Regan Smith was clearly over the line in 2008, but was Jimmie Johnson? And if he was over the line, was it even relevant?
The rule clearly states, that a driver can not advance his position if he were to cross that forbidden line. If you might recall, Jimmie Johnson did not advance his position, as he had a slight lead over 2nd place finisher Clint Bowyer coming out of the front-stretch tri-oval.
My opinion is the same as the other 42 NASCAR drivers that day, who did not challenge the call, Jimmie Johnson won fairly in one of the greatest finishes in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history.
FYI..everybody knows the only driver Na$crap allows to pass cars by driving below the yellow line, is Dale Jr. Clealy captured by the Fox TV cameras at a 2003 Talladega race. Can even be seen on You Tube.
Good c all. I totally agree. The other factor is that with the two car hookups you don’t always have control of where you are going. If the pushing car decided to break out and crossed the yellow line by himself for the win that would be different.
Extreme calculated gamble on the part of the 48. An RCR car would not have let that happen but I have to say it was the best finish I have ever seen to come from fifth to first in 500 yards.