MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jimmie Johnson nudged Denny Hamlin aside in the third and fourth turns with 15 laps to go at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, and gave team owner Rick Hendrick a perfect place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his first victory in NASCAR’s premier series: Victory Lane.
Johnson and Hamlin had differing views of the pass that gave Johnson his fifth win in the last six races in the Goody’s 500 on NASCAR’s smallest, trickiest track. Hamlin said it was standard short-track fare. Johnson thought the video would change Hamlin’s opinion.
On the pass, Johnson caught Hamlin and got inside him on the backstretch on the 485th lap. From the outside, Hamlin tried to cut down in front of Johnson, bringing the contact.
Johnson grabbed the lead, while Hamlin kept his car from hitting the wall and tried to give chase, but Johnson coasted to the win.
“If he wants to think that I tried moving him out of the way, he can believe that, but he should watch the video and see that I was inside of him,” Johnson said. “I did everything I could to miss him.”
Hamlin said he bore no ill will but will look forward to a chance to reciprocate.
“I would have done the same to him, and if it comes back around, I will do the same thing.” he said. “It’s just the way it is.”
