Knaus told Johnson to wreck car

[LMITOUT]

Quote:

Knaus told Johnson to wreck car if he won at Talladega:

Chad Knaus told driver Jimmie Johnson to intentionally damage the back end of his race car if the #48 team won Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway, the crew chief acknowledged Wednesday. Knaus admitted giving the five-time NASCAR champion the pre-race instructions in order to "cover our bases" in case 500 miles of bump-drafting knocked the car beyond NASCAR's strict tolerances. Officials likely would have accepted the damage as an excuse if the # 48 car had not fit NASCAR's templates in post-race inspection.

The conversation between Knaus and Johnson occurred when the crew chief leaned inside the #48 car before the race to give Johnson some final words of encouragement. Because Johnson's in-car camera was live on NASCAR.com's RaceBuddy application, the chat was broadcast to anyone watching the feed at the time.

"If we win this race, you have to crack the back of the car," Knaus could be heard telling Johnson on the recording. "Got it?"

"Really?" Johnson replied, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Knaus said. "Got it? You don't have to have to hit it hard, you don't have to destroy it. But you've gotta do a donut and you've gotta hit the back end, or somebody's gotta hit you in the [PoorWordUsage]-end or something. OK?"

After Johnson responds with apparent silence (he can't be heard saying anything else), Knaus added, "You'll be alright. Can't take any chances."

[Wanderer]

Sounds like something that should have been discussed in the hauler??

[harvey lee]

That could have meant anything. maybe the back end of the car was sooo close to illeagel they to make sure nothiung happened in post tech, it was easiest to move tha back end around.

I do not know that for fast but, it could remove any possible doubt.

[HOF#13]

Boy...sure sounds fishy though. I bet NASCAR is a little more deliberate with the Hendrick cars when they go through tech for a while now.

[Sifty]

If it was broadcast and people where hearing it, my bet is they would have been one of the cars that would have had a post race inspection done.

Sifty