Motorsport: Practice chaos forces Nascar champion into backup car

Jimmie Johnson's quest for a fifth-straight Nascar championship will begin in a backup car.

Johnson was involved in the latest wreck at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, doing enough damage for crew chief Chad Knaus to scrap the primary car for Monday's season opener.

"I was riding along and thought everything was fine, and the next thing you know, I was in the middle of it," Johnson said.

Joey Logano and Kyle Busch also got caught up in the accident during the second practice at Daytona International Speedway. Mike Bliss triggered it when he lost control of his car coming out of a turn. Bliss turned sideways, seemingly got tapped by Derrick Cope, then shot across the track and rammed into Logano.

Logano also was forced into a backup car. Busch's car received minor damage.

The two practice sessions had several other harrowing moments.

Clint Bowyer started a three-car accident in the first session when he cut a tyre, hit the wall and collected David Reutimann and 1990 Daytona 500 champion Derrick Cope. Bowyer and Reutimann went to backup cars.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt jnr narrowly avoided wrecks in the second session. Waltrip spun and drove through the infield grass. Earnhardt got a little sideways after getting bumped from behind by Denny Hamlin, but straightened the car out.

Earnhardt said over his radio that Hamlin "doesn't know how to bump-draft".

Last month, Nascar relaxed its rules on bump-drafting and gave drivers permission to be more aggressive. The changes have been evident at Daytona.

Hamlin and Daytona 500 pole-sitter Mark Martin started a seven-car accident last week during the first practice for the exhibition Budweiser Shootout.

The Shootout ended under caution after Jeff Gordon hit Greg Biffle and started an eight-car accident. Throw in the latest practice sessions, and today's 241-km qualifying races could provide drivers with chaotic rides.

- AP