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Jimmie Johnson crashes in final Cup practice at Michigan

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Jimmie Johnson crashes into the wall heading into a corner turn during practice for the Pure Michigan 400 and will use his backup car Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson will go to a backup car after crashing in Saturday’s final Cup practice at Michigan International Speedway.

Johnson got loose in Turn 1 and slid up the track, slamming the SAFER barrier with the right side of his car. He drove the car back to the garage.

“Losing it on corner entry is never fun, you’re at top speed,’' Johnson told NBCSN’s Marty Snider. “Unfortunately, it put us in a big hole. Running a car without any practice is awfully tough.’'

Johnson will give up his 22nd starting spot and start at the rear of the field by going to a backup car.

Starting at the rear hasn’t slowed Johnson. He won at Texas and Dover this season after starting at the rear.

Johnson wasn’t the only driver to have contact with the wall. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact with the wall earlier in the session. Kasey Kahne had contact with the wall after Johnson’s incident. Both drove their cars back to the garage. Kahne’s team decided to go to a backup car.

“It was kind of interesting, made a change, came back out and I was coming into (Turn) 1, I basically lost my right-rear and was spinning as I was getting into the corner just sideways,’' Kahne said. “Saved it, but then I was just going too fast and I got up in the gray and it went up and ended up running into the wall. So, it was kind of out of nowhere. I was a bit surprised that happened.’'

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