Auto notes: Jimmie Johnson finds new title format ‘bizarre’

Jimmie Johnson says NASCAR’s new championship format has “seemed bizarre,” but the eliminated six-time champion knows he has to think about the big picture for racing.

Johnson was among 16 drivers who initially made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He’s already out of contention for his seventh season title even with three wins and 1,119 laps led this year.

“It has seemed bizarre since the onset. I feel that I need to take a different approach and think of it differently and think of what is good for the sport,” said Johnson. “This is really being put back in the fans’ hands. At the end of the day, if there are more people tuning in and watching, we are creating the drama, sponsorship is in the sport, then it is what we need to do.”

Among the eight drivers still in contention are Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth, neither of whom has won a race this season.

Busch wins truck race

Kyle Busch passed German Quiroga off a restart in a two-lap shootout in the Camping World Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway for his seventh victory in nine series starts this year.

Stewart tops 200 mph

Tony Stewart had NASCAR’s first 200-mph qualifying lap on an intermediate track, and Matt Kenseth took the pole for the Sprint Cup race Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway..

Sadler to join Roush

Elliott Sadler is headed to Roush Fenway Racing next year in a move that will reunite the team with a former sponsor in NASCAR’s second-tier series. Sadler’s sponsor OneMain Financial announced that it is moving with the driver when he leaves Joe Gibbs Racing after the season.