Johnson needles reporters for writing him off

By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 (October 2, 2011)

DOVER, Del.—Jimmie Johnson isn’t one to say “I told you so”—except when a strong performance contradicts the “Jimmie’s toast” assertions that were bandied about in the media center before Sunday’s AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

“Does that mean you’re going to leave me alone?” Johnson joked after a runner-up finish at the Monster Mile left him 13 points behind Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup leaders Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards. “Are all you media people (going to) leave me alone about being down in points?”

Later, in the media center, Johnson kept the needle going.

“Are we out of it?” he asked. “Last week I was considered done.”

Though he led a race-high 157 laps, Johnson finished second to Kurt Busch, but he got the sort of result he needed to claw his way back into contention after running out of fuel at Chicagoland and trading paint with Kyle Busch at New Hampshire.

“We needed to run in the top three here at one of our better racetracks—and mission accomplished,” Johnson said.