Following the harsh words thrown at him by teammate Jeff Gordon after the Talladega race, Hendrick Motorsports' champion Jimmie Johnson stepped forward and admitted he is the one to blame for the crash which sent Gordon 22nd across the finish line.
Last Sunday, as the two were entering turn 4, Johnson dropped and blocked Gordon, who was forced below the yellow line. Due to Johnson's actions, the cars behind were forced to slow down and eventually got into a crash which caught Gordon as well.
"I misjudged the closing rate," Johnson was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "We all make mistakes, I am no different. Certainly, that was my fault. I made the mistake there."
It is the first statement made by Johnson in this matter after Talladega, despite the somewhat aggressive statements made by Gordon.
"I was coming 10 mph faster than anybody... The 48 (Johnson) is testing my patience, I can tell you that,” Gordon said according to The
Examiner. “It takes a lot to make me mad, and I am pissed right now. When a car’s going that much faster, I don’t know what it is with me and him right now—but whatever.”
Johnson tried to play down the rumors which point to increasing tensions between the two drivers.
"There's no doubt after the fact that frustrations are high, the wreck just compounded it," Johnson said. "I think he was speaking out of frustration. He was in a wreck, and nobody is ever happy about that."
Last Sunday, as the two were entering turn 4, Johnson dropped and blocked Gordon, who was forced below the yellow line. Due to Johnson's actions, the cars behind were forced to slow down and eventually got into a crash which caught Gordon as well.
"I misjudged the closing rate," Johnson was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. "We all make mistakes, I am no different. Certainly, that was my fault. I made the mistake there."
It is the first statement made by Johnson in this matter after Talladega, despite the somewhat aggressive statements made by Gordon.
"I was coming 10 mph faster than anybody... The 48 (Johnson) is testing my patience, I can tell you that,” Gordon said according to The
Examiner. “It takes a lot to make me mad, and I am pissed right now. When a car’s going that much faster, I don’t know what it is with me and him right now—but whatever.”
Johnson tried to play down the rumors which point to increasing tensions between the two drivers.
"There's no doubt after the fact that frustrations are high, the wreck just compounded it," Johnson said. "I think he was speaking out of frustration. He was in a wreck, and nobody is ever happy about that."