Jimmie Johnson and Joey Gase to Rear Saturday at Michigan After Multiple Inspection Failures

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Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, races to a 12th place finish with Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE who finished in 9th placeSunday, August 2, 2020 during the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. Drivers raced to a limited number of spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Andrew Coppley/HHP for Chevy Racing)

Jimmie Johnson and Joey Gase will join Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher at the rear of the field for the start of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Johnson and Gase failed pre-race inspection multiple times, while Newman and Buescher had their spoilers confiscated by NASCAR.

For more on the Newman and Buescher penalties, go here:

NASCAR Confiscates Spoilers From Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher Cars, Both Lose Points, Monetary Fine and Starting in Rear

Johnson, who is in the thick of a battle for the final Playoff Berth, was supposed to start from the 17th-position. Gase was already set to start from the last-position in the No. 7 machine.

For Johnson and the No. 48 team, they come into this weekend hoping to minimize mistakes in an effort to leapfrog Tyler Reddick and William Byron in the championship standings for a Playoff spot. However, that goal will begin with a less than optimal start on Saturday.

Toby Christie

Toby is the Founder of TobyChristie.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. Toby is also the co-host of The Final Lap Weekly Podcast. Additionally, he is an award-winning writer, and has followed the sport as a fan since 1993.