NASCAR Might Bench Harvick and Johnson

UPDATE After #29-Kevin Harvick exited the infield care center with an aching chest Thursday, #01-Joe Nemechek nearly hit him with a water bottle. It was a clear display of the anguish Harvick caused during the second of two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500. Harvick bumped #48-Jimmie Johnson more than halfway through the 60-lap race, starting a seven-car wreck and stirring the emotions of several drivers and their crews. "It's frustrating because I know how much all these guys have put into this, and to have it taken out by someone like him, that's stupid,'' Nemechek said. Johnson, who trailed only three-time Daytona winner Dale Jarrett in pole qualifying last Sunday, was leading the race when he slowed in the second turn and got rear-ended by Harvick. The bump turned Johnson's car sideways and ignited a crash that took out Johnson, Harvick, Nemechek and fellow top contenders Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace. None of them was injured. But some of their cars were badly damaged. Harvick, Nemechek and Wallace were forced to switch to backup cars and will move to the back of the field for NASCAR's biggest race. "It's a shame. He just tore up six or seven good race cars,'' said Johnson, adding that team owner Richard Childress should fire Harvick and NASCAR should penalize him. "This is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.'' Harvick and Johnson were summoned to the NASCAR trailer after tempers had cooled. Harvick acknowledged fault in the wreck, and NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter warned the drivers that future problems could result in fines or suspensions. "We told them that they need to either work it out for themselves or we'll work it out for them,'' Hunter said. "We just consider it a racing incident. If they get into it again, there could be some severe penalties, like missing a race.'' Hunter added that the drivers shook hands and agreed to meet by themselves Thursday night — without crew chiefs, car owners or NASCAR officials — to work through their differences, which began at Phoenix last year. "We want to make absolutely sure that at the start of a new season, there's no carry-over,'' Hunter said. Harvick apologized for his error, but that did little to soothe emotions in the garage area. "I just spun him out, and I feel sorry for the teams and everybody involved,'' Harvick said. ESPN.com/AP 02/17/05 The year-long on-track feud between Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick officially came to a head Thursday, and NASCAR made it clear that they've officially had enough. No penalties were levied for the multicar accident that took out Johnson, Harvick, Mark Martin, Joe Nemechek and Rusty Wallace, and also involved Scott Riggs and Dave Blaney. But the drivers, crew chiefs and team owners were summoned to the NASCAR transporter for a stern talking-to from president Mike Helton. NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said that if Johnson and Harvick don't resolve their differences immediately, they could be spectators for an upcoming event. "If they get into it again, there could be some severe penalties — like missing a race," Hunter said. Hunter said the drivers opted to meet privately Thursday evening, rather than have NASCAR involved in the process. NASCAR