Kyle Busch earned the pole at Phoenix International Raceway and Jimmie Johnson escaped serious injury after a scary crash in NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying Friday. The six-time Cup champion also took blame for the accident, saying that it was his responsibility to make sure the removable steering wheel was locked in place.
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“Yeah, as I came into Turn 1 just working my way through the center of the corner and jumped in the gas and as I jumped in the gas, I guess I pull on the wheel when I do that”, Johnson said. “Obviously, (they) did a great job for me, giving me the vehicle that I needed and prepared everything for today’s race”.
Johnson said the issue was “on me”.
His rivals might refer to the continuing saga of Kyle Busch at Phoenix International Raceway as absolute dominance. He worked his way from fourth to first after three drivers took only two tires on a mid-race pitstop. “We’ll have to get to the bottom of it”, Johnson said. “I’m just sitting there with no steering and holding the steering wheel and staring at the blue wall and I was along for the ride at that point”.
“We have lines in the steering shaft to make sure your steering wheel is straight”.
Steering wheels are removable in stock cars because the driver’s compartment is so tight.
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“I can’t say enough about (crew chief) Chris Gayle and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing”, Busch said. It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure he’s safe. And those three or four connection points are my lifeline. “I am completely shocked it happened to me”. “Phoenix is one of my favorite tracks we compete on and has proved to be a track I run well on and have seen success at in the Truck Series with getting my first NASCAR win back in 2013 and another win in 2014”. 76 percent of the time Johnson finds the top-10 in Phoenix and regardless of where he starts the race, it’s hard to bet against odds like that. “And I was just so thankful for when I came off the wall that feet, legs, arms, wrists, head was all fine and nothing was hurting”.
