Harvick wins at Indy; no playoffs for Johnson

Kevin Harvick won the Brickyard 400, beating Joey Logano by 6.118 seconds in a race that ended Jimmie Johnson’s playoff run. Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman claimed the final two spots in the field.

INDIANAPOLIS >> Jimmy Johnson drove through pit road with his rear bumper dangling off the back, already aware of the consequences when he parked the car.

His chance at ending a 27-month victory drought with a record-tying fifth Brickyard 400 win gone. His quest for a recordbreaking eighth series put on hold. And his distinction as the only driver to make every NASCAR playoff since it was adopted in 2004 was history, too.

An almost flawless run Sept. 8 by Kevin Harvick ruined any chance Johnson had of executing his win-toget-in strategy, and when he hit the wall in the second turn with 55 laps to go at Indianapolis Motor Speedway made it official: Johnson would miss the playoff for the first time.

“Damn, oh, what a bummer and a letdown,” he said on a Twitter post. “I promise you (my fans) we will finish this season strong and be a threat next year in 2020. I just want to thank you for all being there, for your support. Chasing eight will have to wait till next year.”

Harvick beat Joey Logano by 6.118 seconds to claim his second Brickyard win.

But for Johnson, it has been a second straight tough season.

His only victory in an exhibition race in February. He endured two major changes in his pit box, the first coming at the end of last season when Hendrick Motorsports announced Johnson’s longtime crew chief Chad Knaus would be paired with William Byron. In July, Johnson’s team made another change.

Yet, somehow he still entered Sept. 8 two spots and 18 points below the postseason cutline and started the third stage 12 points out.

But with Byron and Johnson running side-by-side off a restart, Johnson’s back end spun, sucking him up the track and into the path of Kurt Busch.

Both Chevrolets slammed hard into the wall, starting an eight-car melee that ended the streak just that fast.

“I’ve had 25 races coming into this where I’ve been worried about it,” Johnson said. “I’m not stoked by the situation at all. I am impressed that we have been in 15 consecutive playoffs. I’m not sure anybody else has done that. So, our record doesn’t stink. We wish we could have kept it going, but life goes on.”

With Johnson out, Clint Bowyer, Harvick’s teammate with Stewart-Haas Racing, held onto the 15th spot in the 16-car field. And Ryan Newman, of Roush Fenway Racing, broke a tie for the final spot with Daniel Suarez and put the No. 6 Ford in the playoffs.