MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
BOJANGLES SOUTHERN 500
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
SEPTEMBER 2, 2018
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S THROWBACK CAMARO ZL1 – Sidelined on Lap 227 with mechanical issue
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT HAS TAKEN YOU OUT?
“It was something about the oil pump, I believe. I’m not sure if it’s through the belt, of something else went on. But, the amount of time it takes to get the engine apart and the oil pump out to put a new one on, it just takes too long. Thankfully, the engine is okay, we think; but it just takes too long to get the oil pump out.”
YOU’VE SHOWED SOME SPEED. YOU GUYS CERTAINLY SEEM TO BE IMPROVING IN THAT DEPARTMENT. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE BAD LUCK, THE MISTAKES, AND THE MISFORTUNES THAT HAVE KEPT YOU FROM GETTING SOME OF THOSE RESULTS?
“It’s just about cleaning things up. I didn’t have a great lap in that second round of Qualifying that put us back. Unfortunately, we had a loose wheel; and then I missed the commitment line coming in. We’ve just got to clean those things up. Our cars are much better. I just have to thank everybody at Hendrick Motorsports for working so hard. We just have to minimize mistakes; and I think we can run a Top 5 pretty easily.”
WHAT HAPPENED?
“Something with the oil pump. I’m not sure if it’s the belt or the pump itself, but it would take too long to kind of pull the engine a part and fix it. I think the engine is okay, but something with oil pressure. I had zero oil pressure and the engine went into protection mode and wouldn’t run.”
ARE YOU CONCERNED FOR NEXT WEEK THE LAST WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON?
“Our engine shop is so rock solid, if anything I would be a little nervous for my teammates out there right now that have the same stuff. Sometimes we have material issues and things out of our control that we have seen when one engine goes a bunch go. So, fingers crossed that it doesn’t happen with my teammates. These guys are the best in the business we will be fine next week.”
IS IT UNSETTLING AT ALL TO GO INTO INDIANAPOLIS WITH A MATHEMATICAL CHANCE OF MISSING THE PLAYOFFS?
“Yeah, I mean it sucks. I don’t want to be in this position. We have been around this spot for a while. We have seen it coming. We just need to transfer and honestly, I think our cars are capable of running in the top five. If we can just start minimizing mistakes, my own included, we will be much better off and have a shot.”
WHEN WAS THE INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG?
“It was just instant. Something with the oil pump. And then the engine has an oil protection system, so when the oil pump did its thing the engine just shut off. We think the engine is fine, but it would take too long to change the oil pump.”
HOW WILL YOU APPROACH THE RACE NEXT WEEK?
“Yeah, I don’t even know really the situation I’m in. But yeah for sure. Tonight, we were racing the No. 88 and trying to beat him to make sure we would be okay next week. We were both two laps down and kind of racing each other. I would assume that would be the same thing next weekend.”
YOU KIND OF JUST HAVE TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES RIGHT NOW DON’T YOU?
“Yeah, there is no need to flip out now. We have had a pretty rough year to this point. We have been working hard, unfortunately just haven’t had the results. We will keep working hard. There is no quit in myself of this team.”