Jimmie Johnson Blasts NASCAR Truck Series Drivers Over ‘Disrespectful Racing’

Over the years the NASCAR Truck Series was the series has gone from the series that gave the sport some of it’s brightest and respectful young talents to giving the sport it’s most aggressive racers. Seven times Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson experienced this first hand in this weekend’s San Diego Road Course race.

He made his first start in the third division series for the first time in 17 years in the No:1 TRICON Garage Toyota. He had a strong qualifying, but was able to secure only P30, after DNFing owing to multiple mid-race incidents. What shocked him most about the race was the complete lack of respect among young racers, who bashing into each for no reason.

But yesterday I just couldn’t believe the disrespect that everybody had from the jump. I mean, just gouging each other nonstop and I was up at the front racing away and we were pointing each other by, and I was like, this is old school Cup, this makes sense. The way the fuel cycle worked out I entered mid pack and I look around and I saw these trucks all twisted up, and I thought they had hit the wall, and I guess maybe some did, but it was all from bashing into one another on the track.

Jimmie Johnson said on Saturday.

The lack of racing etiquette in the lower division has been a key point of discussion in the 2020’s and Jimmie Johnson are the lates legend to share his views. According to the veteran the wild aggression has taken over grassroot oval racing throughout the USA. The sanctioning body should get involved in the mess, considering many of the current aggressive young drivers are the future of the sport.

And then I got turned around twice, just last second lunges into areas that nobody should have been. So, it is what it is. When I look at my Instagram feed or my twitter feed and see the local short tracks and behavior there, man, it’s just wild. So, we’ll see where it goes.

Jimmie Johnson added, as reported via motorport.com.

Jimmie Johnson reveals the generational different factor in aggressive racing

Earlier talking about the topic, Johnson disused the generational element behind racing becoming more aggressive. In the past there was senior figures that gave the youngsters the learning moment about the benefits of being respectful on the track.

I feel like it’s more of a generational element. I assume there is a point in time where the generation behaves differently. But when I came in, it was the era of pointing people by, and I got my butt chewed by numerous guys even in the Busch (now O’Reilly) Series, that I raced them too hard…I realized that when I was going forward and had a chance to pass them, they could make life really tough on me and if you were respectful of one another [you could] just work together.

Jimmie Johnson said.

But nowadays, these things no longer happens and the racing has become more aggressive. NASCAR limiting Cup driver’s lower divisions appearances, the car design changes, stage racing has changed the culture around the sport. It created TRP worthy moments the fan as well as owners cherishes, but from the driver’s perspective it’s not good.

That’s completely out the window now. I think stage racing and all of these other elements where the car performance and air disadvantage, you can defend a lot more and it’s kind of created this culture. But I wear two hats with my ownership hat. I want the sport to be vibrant and healthy and chaos brings eyeballs. So, I’m kind of torn.

Jimmie Johnson added.

The comments from the seven times Cup champion shows how the complaints about the lack of respect in sport needs to be addressed immediately. Veterans like Johnson needs to speak up more and the young driver should learn to listen more to their mentors.

Also Read: Kevin Magnussen Brands San Diego The “Most Extreme Track” of His Career Ahead of NASCAR Debut