Qualifying spin forces Johnson to share pit stall

By Bob Pockrass
Saturday, June 03, 2006
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BAMBI MATTILA/NASCAR SCENE

DOVER, Del. - That spin during qualifying Friday might have looked really cool, but it came at a price for NASCAR Nextel Cup point leader Jimmie Johnson.

Dover International Speedway has only 42 pit stalls, and since Johnson is starting 42nd on the grid, Johnson must share a pit stall with Scott Wimmer, who is starting 43rd.

"We were pretty excited afterwards," Johnson said about the spin where he amazingly kept the car from hitting the wall. "Shortly thereafter, we found out we had to share a pit stall, and the smiles went away."

Most tracks have 43 pit stalls, but Dover does not. Once a pit stall opens up from a car that has dropped out of the event, Johnson can choose to move to the open pit stall or tell Wimmer's team to move.

If both Johnson and Wimmer are on the lead lap when the caution comes out, the highest positioned driver will get to pit first.

"We've just got to make the most of it and stay ahead of the 4 car [of Wimmer]," Johnson said. "I would assume the first chance we have to separate, we will do whatever we can. We'll split up as fast as we can."

Usually when teams share a pit stall, it's two teams low in points and does not create a big stir.

But with Johnson being the point leader, the issue has been thrown into the spotlight.

"It's tough for me to believe that in today's world of racing, they can't modify pit road and adjust pit road for 43 cars to have their own pit stall," Johnson said. "I just wasn't aware of it. It just doesn't give anybody a fair shot."

Wimmer said he hopes the Morgan-McClure team can use the situation as a learning experience.

"Just pitting with those guys, we'll learn a lot about pit strategies and things like that," Wimmer said. "It might end up helping us out. But it's going to be interesting the first few stops because there are going to be times where they will want to come in and we will want to come in, too.

"Unfortunately, that's what happens when you qualify bad."

Wimmer said he will be considerate considering Johnson is the point leader, but if he is ahead of Johnson, he plans on coming in with the lead-lap cars and make Johnson pit later.

"We definitely don't want to ruin his race, but we've got to get ourselves up to the top 35 in points so we don't have to rely on qualifying so much," Wimmer said.

Mentioned Drivers: Jimmie Johnson

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2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings

Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500

1 Jimmie Johnson 6248
2 Mark Martin -184
3 Jeff Gordon -192
4 Juan Pablo Montoya -239
5 Tony Stewart -279
6 Kurt Busch -312
7 Greg Biffle -340
8 Ryan Newman -402
9 Kasey Kahne -414
10 Carl Edwards -437
11 Denny Hamlin -448
12 Brian Vickers -556

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