Earnhardt Slams 'Idiot' Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr and Greg Biffle have slammed NASCAR Nextel Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson for causing two separate crashes at Talladega Speedway last weekend
Earnhardt Jr called Johnson an 'idiot' for causing the 25-car crash at Talladega Speedway - the second largest in the track's history. The race was stopped for 45 minutes after the wreck and ten drivers went to the track's medical centre.
Earnhardt Jr told Canada.com: "If there was one idiot out there it was him. To be honest about it, I think Jimmie Johnson caused all the wrecks out there."
Greg Biffle blamed Johnson for the separate six-car accident that knocked him and Earnhardt out of the running with six laps to go.
Biffle said: "I like Jimmie. He's a talented driver. But he caused both wrecks. If Johnson hadn't been in the race, we wouldn't have had those wrecks. I've seen both replays and I don't care what anyone says.
"Bump drafting had nothing to do with it. Restrictor plates had nothing to do with it. It was orientation to where you are on the racetrack and where the other cars are."
Johnson deflected the criticism, and said that both were racing incidents.
Johnson said: "It's just hard racing. You're an inch and a half apart from one another. The cars are hard to drive. If you took one of those components out of what took place to start that big wreck, it wouldn't have happened."
About this article
| Series | NASCAR |
| Author | Tim Redmayne |
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
Why a Le Mans winner is heading into the “unknown world” of NASCAR
Comparing Porsche's 919 HYBRID LMP1 to NASCAR is motorsport's equivalent of apples and oranges, but this weekend one of Weissach's top works aces will pit his skills against the regulars and revive the tradition of the 'road-course ringer'
