Jimmie Johnson disses Robby in interview

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FIRST CUP START? JIMMIE JOHNSON -"My first Cup start was here (Lowe's Motor Speedway). It was such a wild weekend. One of my close friends was killed in the ARCA race and that day I qualified for the race, we didn't have provisional, points or anything at the time, whatever that situation was-I think it was provisionals. So to have the ultimate high of qualifying 15th, Robby Gordon was in the Lowe's car at the time and they missed the event, so it looked really good on Hendrick's behalf and my behalf in starting a relationship. Left here with the high of highs, driving up the street and got a phone call that Blaise (Alexander) was in a bad crash and later found out that he has passed. So it was a really tough weekend for me on that front.

"The Busch race on Saturday was very tough for me. Then as I got in to the race on Sunday, I was excited about the opportunity and some of the pain started to slip away. I was able to go out and focus on my job and ran a good first part of the race.

"I spun out right in front of the pack, I think I was running well at the time. I remember sliding in to the wall in three and four and the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon) coming straight for me.

"I thought man, if I crash him, he's in a championship points battle, if I crash him right now, this will not be good for my job. Fortunately, he missed us. It was just so overwhelming to be on this track, especially then and how difficult the track was to drive. I remember my first pit stop, I Ieft the pits, I was in between Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett and it really hit me at that point. I am like WOW, I'm out here with the big boys, this is pretty cool."

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Permalink Reply by EWF on October 10, 2008 at 9:46am

I don't think he dissed him at all. It sounds like he's just stating a fact.

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Permalink Reply by Lance on October 10, 2008 at 10:04am

No diss. Robby and Jimmie get along pretty well. Lowes was already gone to Hendrick before Robby signed with RCR. 31 team was a mess as well. Probably at it's lowest point before Robby built them back up.

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Permalink Reply by wilks7 on October 10, 2008 at 10:11am

so where is the diss??

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Permalink Reply by Shawna on October 10, 2008 at 10:27am

I don't see any diss here at all. Jimmie was just stating the facts. Robby was in the Lowes car at the time and missed the race.

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Permalink Reply by Brad on October 10, 2008 at 10:38am

No dis here... JJ and RG get along just fine. They are both so cal guys. Infact it is well known around these parts that JJ has great respect for RG. JJ followed RGs foot steps into offroad.

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Permalink Reply by Lance on October 10, 2008 at 10:41am

I saw in an interview somewhere that Jimmie considers Robby a hero of his. Seriously.

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Permalink Reply by Butterknife7 on October 10, 2008 at 10:50am

My favorite Jimmie Johnson story of all times involves him throwing up in Robby's helmet after Bob took him out for a spin in the desert when he was much younger.

I didn't much see a diss here either.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on October 10, 2008 at 10:57am

That isn't a diss.

This is would have been a diss. " Robby missed the race in the Lowes car because he sucks at qualifying" . Actually, that would have bene a fact too...lol.....

It's all good !

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on October 10, 2008 at 12:09pm

Oaky, maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!

Maybe he was just stating a fact, but I've been taught in journalism "If somebody doesn't mean something, then why did they say it." Example, why not say the #31 car missed the event.

But, I guess you're right...just stating a fact.

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Permalink Reply by Blues on October 10, 2008 at 1:10pm

Good one!

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Permalink Reply by Shantel on October 10, 2008 at 1:44pm

Actually, kind of sounds like a compliment to me....to paraphrase - "I looked really good because I qualified compared to another really good driver who didn't qualify"