FenderBumper
The "good old days" ??
I watched this battle closely and wonder if anyone else did. JJ was trying every trick in the book
to beat Larson, which he eventually did, but it was fun watching the rookie more than hold his own. I wondered if JJ was enjoying himself.......but he wasn't. I warned him about assuming the gentlemans agreement would be in effect for a NW race.
Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports8:47p.m. EST March 2, 2013
Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson's battle represented NASCAR's present and future on Saturday in Phoenix.
Jimmie Johnson, left, drives alongside Kyle Larson during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Like a pair of magnets, five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and newcomer Kyle Larson could not get away from each other during Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix.
While Kyle Busch was cruising to another win — the 52nd in his career — Johnson and Larson battled for a decidedly unimportant 12th-place position. But their back-and-forth represented the first time the two had ever raced together, and in some ways it was a race between NASCAR's present and its future.
After the race, Larson lingered by his car — perhaps waiting to see if Johnson would approach. But Johnson did not; after finishing interviews, he walked away without acknowledging the younger driver.
Larson, who has been touted as NASCAR's next great driver, said he wasn't quite sure how Johnson felt about their battle.
"I hope he thought it was fun, but probably not, because we were battling for, like, 12th," Larson said with a chuckle.
Johnson, making a rare Nationwide start to help him learn more about the track for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race, said Larson was a "great talent" but was partially frustrated by their on-track exchanges.
"When I'd finally get by him and catch the guys in front of me and start racing them, he'd get position on me and I couldn't advance as a result," Johnson said. "So half of it was fun and the other half was annoying."
But Johnson said he was impressed with the 20-year-old driver nonetheless.
"I want to be careful not to take any digs on him, because I've been a fan watching from afar," he said. "I saw a lot of great things out of him in the race car today and I think he's going to be a big talent going forward."
While the two were racing, Larson said he allowed himself to think, "Man, I'm racing Jimmie" on a couple occasions. Mostly, though, Larson said "he's just another I'm trying to get by."
"It's cool to get to race with those guys because you learn a lot," he said. "... He probably got frustrated racing with me at the end, but I was having a blast. We were swapping positions a lot. I learned how to kind of take the air away from him, and he'd do the same thing to me and get back by."
Larson's second career Nationwide Series start ended much better than his first, even though the 13th-place result was the same in both races. At Daytona last week, Larson's car flew into the fence and was torn apart, injuring 28 fans.
to beat Larson, which he eventually did, but it was fun watching the rookie more than hold his own. I wondered if JJ was enjoying himself.......but he wasn't. I warned him about assuming the gentlemans agreement would be in effect for a NW race.
Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports8:47p.m. EST March 2, 2013
Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson's battle represented NASCAR's present and future on Saturday in Phoenix.
Jimmie Johnson, left, drives alongside Kyle Larson during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Like a pair of magnets, five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and newcomer Kyle Larson could not get away from each other during Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix.
While Kyle Busch was cruising to another win — the 52nd in his career — Johnson and Larson battled for a decidedly unimportant 12th-place position. But their back-and-forth represented the first time the two had ever raced together, and in some ways it was a race between NASCAR's present and its future.
After the race, Larson lingered by his car — perhaps waiting to see if Johnson would approach. But Johnson did not; after finishing interviews, he walked away without acknowledging the younger driver.
Larson, who has been touted as NASCAR's next great driver, said he wasn't quite sure how Johnson felt about their battle.
"I hope he thought it was fun, but probably not, because we were battling for, like, 12th," Larson said with a chuckle.
Johnson, making a rare Nationwide start to help him learn more about the track for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race, said Larson was a "great talent" but was partially frustrated by their on-track exchanges.
"When I'd finally get by him and catch the guys in front of me and start racing them, he'd get position on me and I couldn't advance as a result," Johnson said. "So half of it was fun and the other half was annoying."
But Johnson said he was impressed with the 20-year-old driver nonetheless.
"I want to be careful not to take any digs on him, because I've been a fan watching from afar," he said. "I saw a lot of great things out of him in the race car today and I think he's going to be a big talent going forward."
While the two were racing, Larson said he allowed himself to think, "Man, I'm racing Jimmie" on a couple occasions. Mostly, though, Larson said "he's just another I'm trying to get by."
"It's cool to get to race with those guys because you learn a lot," he said. "... He probably got frustrated racing with me at the end, but I was having a blast. We were swapping positions a lot. I learned how to kind of take the air away from him, and he'd do the same thing to me and get back by."
Larson's second career Nationwide Series start ended much better than his first, even though the 13th-place result was the same in both races. At Daytona last week, Larson's car flew into the fence and was torn apart, injuring 28 fans.
