NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
THE COMBAT WOUNDED COALITION 400 AT THE BRICKYARD
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
JULY 24, 2016
Jimmie Johnson Finishes in Third Place at Indianapolis
Six-Time Series Champion Clinches Spot in 2016 Chase
INDIANAPOLIS, July 24, 2016 – Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Red Vest Chevrolet SS, finished in third place to lead five Team Chevy drivers in the top 10 in the 23rd annual Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on Sunday.
Johnson overcame a pit-road speeding penalty just past the halfway point and gained four spots on the second green/white/checkered re-start to score his best finish since his third-place showing at Charlotte at the end of May.
“I knew I had a good race car,” said Johnson, a four-time winner at IMS. “Those restarts really worked in our favor, and I was able to get up to third there at the end.”
Johnson, because of his two wins, also clinched a spot in the top 30 in points, and with it a spot in this year’s Chase for the Championship.
Kyle Larson, No. 42 Energizer Chevrolet SS, ran near the front for much of the afternoon and finished fifth.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point’s leader Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS, earned a sixth-place finished. It was Harvick’s 16th top-10 in 2016, and third in a row at Indianapolis. He was followed by fellow Team Chevy drivers, Austin Dillon, No. 3 DOW/Mycogen Chevrolet SS, in ninth and Paul Menard, No. 27 Valvoline/Menards Chevrolet SS in 10th giving Team Chevy five of the top 10 finishers overall.
Indiana native Tony Stewart, driving in his 18th and final Brickyard 400, ended up 11th in his No. 14 Mobil 1/Chevy Summer Sell Down Chevrolet SS. Stewart, a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, overcame a pit-road speeding penalty on lap 119, just missing a top-10.
“It was an awesome weekend,” Stewart said. “Everything went the way we wanted it to, we just came up short today. I had fun all day and had fun all weekend. I can’t thank everyone enough at Chevrolet and Mobil 1 and IMS, everybody that was with us this weekend. Everybody tried to make my weekend as easy as possible. It really gave me the opportunity to savor the moment and enjoy it.”
Jeff Gordon, a five-time winner at IMS, returned to racing for the first time since the 2015 season finale’ at Homestead, filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon drove the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet SS to 13th-place finish.
“Wow, said Gordon following the race. “The challenges to be out there against the best, especially on those restarts; it took us a little while to get the balance right and the adjustments came to us. It was pretty tough to pass. And I didn’t want to see those cautions there at the end. But, I’m going to need some practice on restarts for Pocono anyway. We finally actually there on that last one, got the car where it was decent on the outside. It was so loose on the outside before that and made up a bunch of spots off of Turn 4. On one-hand I’m relieved that this is over and on the other hand I would have liked it to have gone a little bit better. I’m looking forward to going to Pocono.”
Chase Elliott, earned top rookie honors concluding his second Brickyard 400 in the 15th position in the No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues next weekend with the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. The race can be seen on NBCSN starting at 1:30 p.m. It can also be heard on MRN.
POST RACE PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT:
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S RED VEST CHEVROLET – FINISHED 3RD
THE MODERATOR: We are also being joined by our third‑place finisher, Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Red Vest Chevrolet. Take us through that last restart, please.
JIMMIE JOHNSON: For us it really worked to our benefit. I think I restarted in seventh and ended up third when it was all said and done. Cleared the 4 pretty quick. I can’t remember who was right ‑‑ I think the 11 got inside the 78 so that opened the door for me there, and we both got the 22 and I was able to get the 11 coming to the checkered coming off of Turn 4. I knew I had a good race car. I never really had a chance to see what the 18 had. I just heard lap times and obviously knew he was very fast. But we’re sitting there on new tires compared to the leaders, and those restarts really worked in our favor, and I was able to get up to third there at the end.
THE MODERATOR: You’ve clinched top‑30 spots and because of your multiple wins, you’ve clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup assuming that you attempt to start the remaining races this season.
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Dude, we can take off. That’s it. See you guys in wherever the first one is, Chicago. I feel really sick. I think I’m concussed. (Laughter.)
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
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