CONCORD, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson stood outside of his banged up No. 48 Chevrolet still in disbelief over the blunder he’d made on the final lap Sunday’ at Charlotte Motor Speedway that cost him a shot at advancing in the playoffs.

“Shell-shocked,” said the seven-time Cup champion.

Johnson had all but secured a spot in the round of 12 with a strong showing through 108 laps. Sitting in second place, all he had to do was follow race leader Martin Truex Jr. to the finish line.

Instead, Johnson made the split-second decision to go for the win, attempting to pass Truex with two turns remaining on the new “roval” track. Johnson tried to go inside, but instead ran into Truex, causing a crash that cost Truex the win and knocked Johnson out of the playoffs. Ryan Blaney passed both drivers for the win.

“I wish I could go back in time and let off the brakes a little bit back there and not take that opportunity, because the championship is what we are here for,” Johnson said. “To fight all year and be that close to transfer…”

When asked if he’d make the same decision again, Johnson said, “If I know the outcome was going to be that? No. I want to stay alive in the championship points. But I really felt like I could pull that pass off.”

Johnson later apologized to Truex’s team and his fan base on Twitter, saying “everyone makes mistakes.”

Truex deliberately spun out Johnson’s car after the race and was still irritated at him when he spoke about the attempted pass.

“He just overdrove it and was never going to make it and used me as brakes and turned us both around,” Truex said. “It (stinks), we could have raced side-by-side off the last corner for a win and that would have been cool. The fans would have been digging it, but instead we finished 14th and he’s locked out of the playoffs. I guess that’s what he gets.”

Now he will have to finish out the rest of the season contemplating what he called a “mistake.”

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