Fans Left Praying for Jimmie Johnson's Star's NASCAR Demotion Amidst Weekly Cup Blunder: "Get Ready to Learn Xfinity"
Fans Left Praying for Jimmie Johnson's Star's NASCAR Demotion Amidst Weekly Cup Blunder: "Get Ready to Learn Xfinity"
Trouble stuck around Lap 117 for John Hunter Nemechek on the front stretch at Nashville. Legacy Motor Club's #42 driver was running 37th when he brought out the first incidental yellow flag of the race. Many fans think these Cup Series incidents have become a weekly affair for Nemechek. And they are not keeping quiet about it. Only about 17 laps separated Christopher Bell from his stage 1 victory. But then, with no visible contact, Nemechek's Camry XSE slid down the racetrack onto the infield grass. It would appear that this would be only the second time the 27-year-old NC native had problems during the race, as he also served a pass-through penalty on Lap 52, for speeding on pit road, which dropped him down to the 37th spot. Not too unsurprisingly, that is where Nemechek finished Stage 1 as #43 teammate Erik Jones ended the cycle in P31. All cars pit on the yellow and NASCAR journalist, Jonathan Fjeld, informed fans, "This will help guys like Logano especially but also everyone who took the wave around." Also, taking two tires would be "Bell, Keselowski, Buescher, Logano, Chastain now 1-5, Gragson in 7th, Bowman 10th." If by any chance Nemechek is to end his race earlier than the 300 scheduled laps of the Ally 400, it would result in his 3rd DNF of the 2024 season. Barring a P8 finish at New Hampshire, Nemechek placed P26 or below in the 5 races before that. Considering he fell two laps down on the restart on Lap 131 following his incident, fan fury has come rushing full speed toward the #42's advances in Middle Tennessee. When FOX journalist Bob Pockrass updated fans about a "caution" for John Hunter, most believed he belonged on a separate field, preferably to the second tier of NASCAR.
Nemechek's spin raises questions about his future at Jimmie Johnson's Team
The former Truck Series Regular Season champion has won 11 times in the Xfinity Series with 65 top 10s to show for in 107 races. Contrastingly, in almost half of these appearance numbers in Cup, Nemechek is still winless and has scored only 6 top-10s. But it is important to note that this is only his second full-time season in the Cup Series. Regardless, fans online were not so kind to his cautionary advances. Some opined that "he needs to stay in Xfinity" and others stooped a step lower, asking Nemechek to "Get ready to learn Xfinity" first. Those calls were in the majority as they suggested Jimmie Johnson should send the #43 driver "back to Xfinity at this point." Others suggested that Johnson and co-owner of the team, Maury Gallagher, should instead "let someone like Corey Heim in that car." But this comment sums up those sentiments best when it rightfully termed the whole issue the "Weekly Nemechek caution." Hopeful for a decent recovery, John Hunter Nemechek must prove his critics wrong, as soon as possible.