NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney came together at the 2019 Cup Series race at Glen Watkins. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was sent spinning into the barrier as Johnson later detailed his disappointment over Blaney's lack of action after the race weekend ended.
Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney made contact after the second stage ended. The #12 Team Penske driver stuck the nose of the car on the inside of #48 HMS while going into a corner and as they made contact, Johnson was sent the seven-time champion into the barrier.
Jimmie Johnson expected a call from Ryan Blaney to sort things out in the week following the crash but it never came. The Hendrick Motorsports driver detailed the same as he said,
Trending
“Fighting is really not my thing either, unless I have to defend myself, so I went there and talked to the guy and hoped to hear a different side of the story than what I thought took place in the car. So that’s the way I was raised in racing and the way I handled it…”
“All I can speak to is the way I know I would handle things. Wrong, right or indifferent, I’ve always made an effort to talk to the person. I have learned more about Ryan’s point of view through reading articles than I have from out of his mouth, and that part bothers me. It’s pretty sad,” he added
Jimmie Johnson walked over to Ryan Blaney after the race ended at Glen Watkins in 2019 to discuss the crash. However, the conversation didn't result in any meaningful solution and that's why the HMS driver expected a call, which never came.
The two were spotted having a heated argument. As per the Team Penske driver, it was a racing incident whereas Johnson believed that Blaney deliberately tried to make contact. Johnson explained how he learned more about the #12 driver's perspective on the crash from the articles than he did from Blaney.
Ryan Blaney explained the reason why he didn't contact Jimmie Johnson after the crash
Jimmie Johnson, speaking with NBC after the 2019 Glen Watkins crash suggested that he tried to speak with Ryan Blaney but the Team Penske driver's lips were quivering as he was too nervous to speak. The HMS driver added that Blaney just ran through him and caused the crash.
Blaney came out and detailed how Johnson's reaction was the reason he followed up with the HMS driver as he said,
“I was pretty disappointed what he said after the race — and that pretty much confirmed that I wasn’t going to check back in with him. That really (ticked) me off. I raced Jimmie with a lot of respect, and I let him chew my (butt) out for two minutes or whatever it was and was very respectful and gave me his side of the story.”
Jimmie Johnson failed to qualify for the playoff during the 2019 Cup Series season and finished the season P18.
