KANSAS CITY, Kan: The chemistry seems to be building with Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Cliff Daniels as the pair netted their fourth top-10 finish in the last five Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races with a 10th place outing in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Johnson started his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet 12th – and while he didn’t score any stage points throughout the 277-lap race, Johnson’s car was the best when it counted most during Stage 3.
While running eighth inside the final 15 laps of the race, the caution waved and allowed the opportunity to pit. Daniels made a gutsy call by putting two right-side tires on the car – sending Johnson up the running order to third on the restart with 10 laps to go.
On the restart, Johnson would be overtaken by competitors with four fresh tires, but when the caution waved with three laps to go, he sat fifth.
Another caution in NASCAR overtime put the seven-time Cup champion seventh for the two-lap shootout.
Despite a gallant effort, the disadvantage of two tires compared to four hindered Johnson from moving forward, but he clung to a spot inside the top-10 edging Hendrick teammate Alex Bowman when the checkered flag waved.
“We passed a lot of cars, so that was cool,” said Johnson.
Johnson also talked about the gift from race winner Denny Hamlin who in the closing laps of Stage 2 lapped Johnson but Hamlin slowed and allowed Johnson to pass him back before the end of the Stage to remain on the lead lap.
In recent weeks, Johnson had expressed his frustration about respect from his competitors, but Johnson expressed it’s a different level of respect when racing.
“There is respect there and I do feel there is respect off of the track,” added Johnson. “But out there on the track, it’s just another level of respect you have to earn.”
Hamlin said you can never have enough friends in the NASCAR Playoffs.
“Just trying to be a nice guy,” he said. “Never can have too many friends out there, especially this point of the season. You go a lap down, it changes your race. Obviously he was up there racing in the top five there towards the end.
“Just putting another coin in the deposit box (smiling).”
With finishes of 10th at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, ninth at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, eighth at Dover (Del.) International Speedway and 10th at Kansas – the No. 48 team is marching forward after a sluggish start to the season.
Johnson could easily have had five straight top-10 finishes but was caught up in a mid-race accident last Monday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with teammate Alex Bowman and others.
Looking to keep the momentum rolling and get a jumpstart on 2020, Johnson and Daniels head to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, a short track where Johnson has earned nine wins in 35 career starts.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
