Jimmie Johnson sends grass flying as he celebrates his win.
Photo – Chris O’Meara AP

Jimmie Johnson celebrated his second Daytona 500 win by spinning through the grass Sunday, just like many have done before him. But he tore up his front bumper in the process of celebrating. Some have questioned if Johnson wrecked the car on purpose?

In October of 2010, Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson received criticism after radio communication at Talladega. Caught on pre-race video inside the car, Knaus leaned into the window of Johnson’s car and told him to damage the back of the car by hitting something during or after the race to make sure the car passed inspection.

So after Johnson tore up the front of the car after winning his second Daytona 500, some questioned Johnson’s motives for his post race celebration.

Johnson quickly put the questions to rest.

“I can only imagine,” Said Johnson during his media tour at Daytona International Speedway.

The No. 48 car did pass post-race inspection and is now sitting in the Daytona USA museum.

“Luckily they don’t measure heights on the front of the car anymore,” Johnson added.

The front bumper just happens to also be the part of the car that got damaged after winning on Sunday.

We know Chad Knaus has pushed the envelope before in NASCAR but this is one race we may never get the correct answer to the question. Only Knaus, and/or Johnson, may ever know what may have happened. But according to NASCAR and its officials, the car did not have any type of advantage.

And so, we must give respect where respect is due, a win is truly a win, unless proven otherwise.