Jimmie Johnson went on the record, Tuesday morning, to apologize for post-race comments following the Martinsville race for criticizing NASCAR 's speeding penalty.
Although he wasn't leading at the time of the final pit stop, NASCAR scoring lights found him speeding in the pits and sent him to the back of the lead lap, he finished 11th after finishing second at the Auto Club Speedway one week before.
NASCAR sets up various timing loops in the pits and Johnson said he wasn't speeding where, he thought, the sanctioning body caught him. Only the five-time Sprint Cup Champ was wrong about where the violation took place.
"The fact is we were wrong," Johnson said.
"I was referring to a segment I knew I couldn't get busted in. At the end of the day it wasn't the segment we were busted on," Johnson said in a regular teleconference.
NASCAR regularly announces fines and penalties on Tuesdays following a race for various infractions. And Johnson made a mild rebuke, of NASCAR's policy to withhold pit speeds until after someone is caught speeding, on Twitter.
In the past NASCAR has secretly fined one or more drivers for Twitter comments, but Johnson said he was okay with a penalty if there is one.
While it's unknown if Johnson will be penalized, his apology might be a pre-emptive strike.
"At the end of the day, I called out NASCAR's credibility and judgment and I apologize for that" Johnson said.
Although he wasn't leading at the time of the final pit stop, NASCAR scoring lights found him speeding in the pits and sent him to the back of the lead lap, he finished 11th after finishing second at the Auto Club Speedway one week before.
NASCAR sets up various timing loops in the pits and Johnson said he wasn't speeding where, he thought, the sanctioning body caught him. Only the five-time Sprint Cup Champ was wrong about where the violation took place.
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| Photo: Getty images/NASCAR |
"The fact is we were wrong," Johnson said.
"I was referring to a segment I knew I couldn't get busted in. At the end of the day it wasn't the segment we were busted on," Johnson said in a regular teleconference.
NASCAR regularly announces fines and penalties on Tuesdays following a race for various infractions. And Johnson made a mild rebuke, of NASCAR's policy to withhold pit speeds until after someone is caught speeding, on Twitter.
In the past NASCAR has secretly fined one or more drivers for Twitter comments, but Johnson said he was okay with a penalty if there is one.
While it's unknown if Johnson will be penalized, his apology might be a pre-emptive strike.
"At the end of the day, I called out NASCAR's credibility and judgment and I apologize for that" Johnson said.