Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson denied any wrongdoing in the Chase field-deciding race at Richmond International Raceway over the weekend that has been marred by controversy.
Johnson defended himself one day after fellow driver Clint Bowyer said his spinout at Richmond was no different than when a Johnson mishap brought out a caution earlier in the race.
Bowyer's spin ended Ryan Newman's bid to win and make the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field and instead helped Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. land a berth. NASCAR, however, determined that MWR manipulated the race and replaced Truex with Newman.
At Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Kyle Busch was asked what he thought.
"I say you do whatever you've got to do to get your team in," Busch said. "If you're in that position, and you have multi-team cars, that's what they're there for. Some people say I'm full of crap and you're not supposed to manipulate the end of the race. ...
"But, I was in the same position last year. There were ways it could have been manipulated and I could have gotten myself in the Chase. But I didn't do it. And I missed the Chase."
Johnson said NASCAR needs to use more officials and more technology resources, such as television replays and even in-car audio, to make better calls during the races.
"NASCAR should have people staffed up instead of downsizing," he said. "Not only from the aspect of what we're talking about right here, but also on restarts and a lot of other procedures."
Johnson said if there was any question that the race needed to be stopped.
"Red flag. Pits are closed. Figure it out and make the best judgment that they can ... because trying to go back on a Monday or a Tuesday to fix the situation, that is just too much."
CHASE STANDINGS
Heading into the first race in the Chase for the Championship, here are the driver standings
1. Matt Kenseth 2015
2. Jimmie Johnson - 3
3. Kyle Busch -3
4. Kevin Harvick - 9
5. Carl Edwards -9
6. Joey Logano -12
7. Greg Biffle -12
8. Clint Bowyer -15
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -15
10. Kurt Busch -15
11. Kasey Kahne -15
12. Ryan Newman -15
NASCAR up next: Geico 400
at Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill. 1 p.m. Sunday
TV: ESPN-25
Radio: KAKC am1300
Other - Motorsports
Matt Kenseth restored order to a chaotic week for NASCAR with a steely victory over teammate Kyle Busch in the opening race for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Just when it appeared Kyle Busch couldn't be any stronger in a Nationwide Series race, he broke the record for most laps led on a 1.5-mile track in a Nationwide race in winning the Dollar General 300 race at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday.
