A lot more than just the iconic closest finish in NASCAR happened at the Kansas Speedway this weekend! Co-owner and driver of Legacy Motor Club, Jimmie Johnson, found himself at the receiving end of the flak after the major collision at the track. Johnson, who was already struggling behind the wheel after his return from retirement, ended up getting caught in a huge wreck. The wreck took out not just him, but LaJoie and Austin Hill.

But what’s controversial isn’t just the crash. It is the way Johnson reacted after the race towards LaJoie- even though according to the replays he was the one to blame!

Jimmie Johnson maintained his defiance over the Kansas crash

Jimmie Johnson seemed to have sparked the accident. The replays show that he got in front of LaJoie and slowed down a bit and then he got turned around. There was also tire smoke around, which made him lift off the gas. This is where LaJoie came in contact with him, causing the entire crash.

After the race, the real drama began. As Johnson’s car was pulled out of the racetrack with the safety crew, Johnson locked eyes with LaJoie and gave him a long stare. But that’s not all. He refused to acknowledge his fault–even after the backlash from fans. Instead, in the post-race interview with Regan Smith, he said, “Just hard racing on these restarts. Certainly disappointed. You hit from behind, spun out, and turned around. I’m confident it wasn’t on purpose, just kind of one of those racing things. Unfortunate but, we’ll dust ourselves off and take the AdventHealth Toyota home and get ready to do it again in May. Just trying to set myself up for the corner and obviously I got a little help from behind and just kind of hanging on from there.”

With Johnson maintaining his defiance and overlooking his faults, fans are salty. They have taken to social media to express themselves. 

Jimmie Johnson’s racing for Legacy might be hurting his legacy

Trending

Rick Hendrick & Co.’s Partnership with Tarnished Sponsor Triggers Bitter Outburst- “F*CK Liberty”

May 17, 2024 04:29 PM EDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Stepmother Follows Through on the Grudge, With His Legacy Also Hanging in the Balance

May 16, 2024 04:49 AM EDT

‘P*ssed Off’ Noah Gragson Calls Out NASCAR’s All-Star Race’s Only Aspect That Leaves Entire Teams Out to Dry

May 17, 2024 12:54 PM EDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr & Fans Left Demanding Concrete Assurances After NASCAR’s Verdict on North Wilkesboro’s Future

May 17, 2024 07:40 PM EDT

5’8” Noah Gragson Shuts Down Carson Hocevar’s “Short” All-Star Gibe in 3-Words

May 17, 2024 10:13 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NASCAR stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Fans were quick to react after the incident and wasted no time to take to social media to express themselves. Most criticized Johnson for even coming back to NASCAR. They said it would be better if he hung up his helmet now.

One Twitter user wrote, “Pulls out in front of traffic then proceeds to drive 20mph slower than everyone else, like every elderly person on the freeway. Just needs to hang it up”

Another user commented, “So you can hear JJ check-up and slow down and then he blames the guy behind him doing 150mph for turning him around. I realize he’s a 7-time champion, but even us armchair drivers at home know that you run the risk of getting run over.”

One fan was sarcastic and ended his tweet with a #HasBeen hashtag. He says, “Jimmie Johnson on track staring dahn the 7 as if it wasn’t his fault for stopping for no reason right in front of him LMAO #HasBeen. 

Some went the quirky route and said, “Jimmie Johnson racing for Legacy is hurting his Legacy.

While most of the fans over the internet dissed his move, some even emphathized with the seven-time champion. “I feel for Jimmie Johnson. If you have a new fan that never saw him in the 48 & you told them he is one of the top 3 or 4 greatest of all time they may not believe you with how he runs in the 84.” One user said, “Jimmie Johnson is better than the equipment he’s in but I think the wreck in 2017 messempathizeded him up. #JimmieJohnson #NASCAR”

There are no doubts that Johnson is a legend. Earlier, there were times when people waited for him to crash. Now people wait for him not to crash. But at 48 years old, time may be catching up to him. 

What do you guys make out of the situation? Do you think how he reacted was right? Let us know your opinions.