NASCAR Bungles Johnson Penalty

(photo courtesy of SI.com)

NASCAR baffled the racing world this week by overturning a penalty handed down to racing deity Jimmie Johnson's team for allegedly illegal C-posts. Johnson was docked 25 points and lost the pole in the season-opening Daytona 500, where he did not finish. Since then he's been unconscious, finishing top 10 in the next 3 races. The reversed decision now bumps him from 34th in the chase to 11th, no small jump. The penalty was seen as excessive by many as Johnson's car passed multiple inspections before being deemed illegal. The strange part is NASCAR chose not to overturn a $100,000 fine against Johnson's crew chief, sending his team, and the league, mixed messages about whether wrongdoing actually took place. Either way, NASCAR be warned: Jimmie Johnson is pissed, and that means trouble for every other driver in the chase.