Champ Johnson breaks his wrist
NOTEBOOK

JOHNSON

Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson broke his left wrist last week when he fell off a golf cart during a celebrity tournament.

The injury, which occurred at a tournament in Lecanto, Fla.,will prevent him from driving for at least four weeks. Johnson still plans to participate in preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway next month.

“I was in a golf cart, and the driver took a sharp turn,” Johnson said in a statement. “I wasn’t holding on tight enough, landed awkwardly on the ground and heard a little pop. It was a fluke deal, but fortunately we’re in the offseason and I don’t plan to miss any additional time.”

Johnson will not be able to compete in the Race of Champions Nations Cup at the Stade de France in Paris later this month. Johnson, who teamed with Jeff Gordon and Colin Edwards to win the Nations Cup in 2002, said he still will travel to Paris as a consultant for Team USA.

Johnson’s injury marked the second consecutive year that NASCAR’s champion was injured during the offseason.

Tony Stewart broke his wrist and bruised his ribs last January when he flipped a car during a qualifying race for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Biffle recovering

Greg Biffle is recovering after dislocating his right shoulder in a fiery accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week. Biffle was injured during a tire test for Goodyear in Las Vegas. He blew a tire, causing him to hit the wall between the first and second turns. The accident broke the fuel pump and caused his Ford to burst into flames.

Kyle Busch, the other driver at the test, was trailing Biffle at the time of the accident and helped Biffle escape from his burning car.

Biffle flew home to North Carolina after the accident and was examined by Dr. Jerry Petty, who discovered the injury and advised Biffle not to travel to last week’s Busch Series banquet.

Biffle finished ninth in the series standings.

Crew chiefs named

Michael Waltrip Racing has announced that Matt Borland, Larry Carter and David Hyder have been named crew chiefs of the organization for the 2007 Nextel Cup Series season.

Borland has been designated crew chief of the No. 44 Toyota Camry driven by Dale Jarrett. Carter will be the crew chief of the No. 00 Camry with driver David Reutimann, and Hyder will be crew chief of Waltrip’s No. 55 Camry.