NASCAR’s Johnson gets heat

Five-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson said Wednesday he’s spoken to many IndyCar drivers about his belief that the series should not be racing on ovals, and all understood what he meant. Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Wheldon was killed in a 15-car accident Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. When asked the next day about the accident, Johnson (pictured) said ovals were not safe for IndyCars and the series should abandon them. His comment led to an angry backlash from fans. Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt also rebuked Johnson. Johnson clarified that he should have been specific about high-banked ovals. Las Vegas has progressive banking, and many IndyCar drivers expressed concern about racing on that kind of track. – AP