By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
It was another night of bad luck for seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Bad luck being something that has seemed to plague the veteran NASCAR driver for the better part of his last two seasons in the Cup Series.
Johnson hasn’t won since the 2017 AAA Drive for Autism at Dover, 83 races ago which continues to be the longest winless streak in his career.
Furthermore, the El Cajon, CA native is on the brink of missing the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons after a disappointing 19th place finish in Thunder Valley.
Following a 30th place qualifying effort, Johnson steadily worked his way up through the field and on lap 60 he saw himself running 21st but trying to stay on the lead lap at the half-mile oval.
Cue the back luck. Johnson would find himself caught up in a crash on lap 80 when Austin Dillon cut down a right front tire.
The real kicker? Johnson had just gone a lap down to leader and eventual race winner Denny Hamlin, Johnson would’ve been the free pass car but because he was involved in the caution, he wasn’t eligible.
Throw in an incident with Paul Menard with two laps remaining in the second stage when the two made contact and then a five-car wreck on lap 373 that left the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet with major right-side damage and the hole was too much for Johnson to climb out of.
Johnson was unable to ever recover, crossing the finish line four laps down in 19th. He now finds himself 18th in the points standings, 26 points behind the cut line with Ryan Newman sitting in 15th and Daniel Suarez in the final 16th spot.
Thanks for all the support everyone. We had some bad luck tonight but salvaged what we could.
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) August 18, 2019
Johnson is the only driver to make NASCAR’s postseason since it’s inception in 2004 but he may be on the outside looking in for the first time.
With no two races remaining at Darlington and Indianapolis before the Round of 16 begins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Johnson finds himself in a “must win” situation.
Both are tracks Johnson has won at with three wins coming at Darlington, his last at the track known as The Lady in Black coming in the 2012 Bojangles Southern 500. Indianapolis, Johnson has four wins, his last at that track also came in the 2012 Crown Royal Presents the Curtiss Shaver 400.
Johnson will look to snap his winless streak that will mark race 84 since he’s won when the series heads to Darlington? If he can do so, Johnson will capture his 84th Cup Series victory as well.