Duel drivers talk it over

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Under orders from NASCAR, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson met late Thursday night in Johnson's motor home.

The conversation lasted an estimated 20 minutes and was "not something comfortable," Johnson said. The two Nextel Cup drivers, who collided during the second Gatorade Duel at Daytona qualifying race on Thursday, did talk through their differences, however.

"I don't think there was an understanding necessarily," Harvick said. "We talked about everything and just realized that everybody was racing hard and things happen."

Opinions on what did happen midway through the race still vary. Harvick initiated the crash, bumping Johnson, who was leading the race, midway through Turn 2.

Johnson and the other drivers involved in the seven-car pileup accused Harvick of "bump-drafting,"something regularly done on Daytona's straightaways. Bump-drafting allows both the car being bumped and the car doing the bumping to gain speed because the two cars split the wind resistance.

Harvick said Johnson slowed down in the corner and he couldn't avoid him, causing the crash.

Johnson angrily called for Harvick's firing after the race and encouraged NASCAR to discipline him. That prompted a visit to the rules trailer, where president Mike Helton told the pair to work out their differences or risk missing a race.

Johnson was less outspoken Friday.

"A day makes a big difference. We decided that today is a new day," Johnson said. "We are starting over on a clean sheet of paper and going to move forward."

Other drivers involved in the wreck also met with Harvick. Joe Nemechek, who totaled his car in the crash and will drive a back-up car in Sunday's Daytona 500, said he talked with Harvick in the Busch Series garage Friday afternoon.

The two agreed to put the incident behind them and move forward. Nemechek said Harvick needs to alter his approach to racing, however.

"Kevin is a heckuva racer. He's a charger and it's hard to find young guys who have the ability to get the job done and the desire to go as fast as you can every lap," Nemechek said. "But there's some common sense that comes with that."

MORE HARVICK FALLOUT: Three of the four drivers whose cars suffered severe damage in Thursday's wreck will drive back-up cars in Sunday's Daytona 500. Mark Martin's team was still working to repair their car Friday and might be able to drive it Sunday.

Nemechek and Harvick said their back-up cars drove well in Friday's practice.

"Mine is running as good or better than the one we wrecked," said Nemechek, who turned the 33rd fastest lap in Friday's Cup practice session.

Wallace was eighth best in practice in his new Dodge.

BACKING UP THE DUEL: Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran the fastest lap in practice Friday, following up his performance in Thursday's Duel at Daytona.

Earnhardt, who averaged 190.484 mph on the lap, finished second in the first of the two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday -- passed by teammate Michael Waltrip just before the finish line.

Earnhardt and Waltrip's performances came as surprise considering their struggles in testing, practice and qualifying in the previous month. Earnhardt's No. 8 Chevrolet showed improved handling Friday. The car slid up the track when racing in the high groove during Thursday's Duel.

"We've had a better car every day," Earnhardt said. "We did get a lot of stuff from the motor department such as intakes and that."

Reach reporter Adam Van Brimmer at adam.vanbrimmer@morris.com or 404-589-8424.