Jimmie Johnson hits tire barrier less than 20 laps into second IndyCar race
Jimmie Johnson couldn't avoid hitting a wall for a second-straight week.
Johnson's chances at a decent finish in his second IndyCar race ended on lap 16 on Sunday at St. Petersburg when he locked up the brakes and went off track and hit a tire barrier.
Yellow flag is out on Lap 17 for an incident involving @JimmieJohnson in Turn 13.
Watch live on @nbc.#INDYCAR // #FirestoneGP pic.twitter.com/gCYWmYYTET— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) April 25, 2021
The damage to Johnson's car wasn't significant. But his car stalled after the bump into the wall and he couldn't get the car back into motion. Johnson was stuck stalled against the wall for multiple laps before IndyCar called a caution. When the race resumed on lap 22, Johnson was four laps down.
He finished 22nd after causing another caution with a spin with 27 laps to go. Johnson appeared to spin his car on cold tires and his front wing clipped the wall, though his car again avoided serious damage.
In his first IndyCar race a week ago, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion had to navigate through a first-lap crash ahead of him and then didn't hit the wall after he spun laps after the race resumed. Johnson finished 19th and three laps down at Barber Motorsports Park.
The first races of Johnson's IndyCar foray were never going to be about challenging for wins or top fives. They were going to be about avoiding major trouble and getting Johnson valuable seat time in the car. So far, Johnson has been in some trouble. But it hasn't been major. We'll see if that keeps up over the course of his season, though Johnson would like to keep his caution rate down.
Johnson has now caused three of the first five cautions at IndyCar races this season.
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