CONCORD, N.C. — A win seemed within reach to Jimmie Johnson, and he was so close to victory — what would have been his first of 2018 — that he couldn’t resist a risky move on the last lap of the Bank of America Roval 400.

The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion spent the final laps of Sunday’s playoff race trying to chase down then-leader Martin Truex Jr. He saw an opportunity to try to pass Truex on the 2.28-mile half-oval, half-road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the two sped toward the finish line, and he just went for it.

But Johnson’s split-second decision backfired when he lost control of his car and spun out through the chicane on the front stretch, hitting Truex as well. In what could have been a second-place finish, the 43-year-old driver finished 8th, which wasn’t high enough to advance him to the Round of 12.

With Johnson and Truex out of the picture, Ryan Blaney blew past them to win his first race of the season and automatically qualify for the next round.

"I really felt like I could put some pressure on them and take a shot at it," Johnson said of trying to pass Truex. "I just locked up the rears and couldn’t control my car and spun. I didn’t think that I initially got into him, but clearly, I did and spun him around. Took myself out of a shot at the championship and obviously affected their day which I feel bad about."

His eighth-place finish put him in a three-way tie with Kyle Larson and Aric Almirola for the final spot in the Round of 12. But he lost the tiebreaker to them, which was determined based on who had the best finishes in the opening round of the playoffs. Larson had a runner-up finish at Las Vegas, and Almirola finished fifth at Richmond. Johnson's best finish was eighth — at Charlotte and Richmond.

"I wish I wouldn’t have been so focused on a race win and I could have transferred and kept my championship hopes alive, but we had such a good car and just one of those split-second decisions to race for the win instead of for the points and it bit me," a dejected Johnson continued.

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Frustrated after Johnson’s last-lap move likely cost him the win, Truex, who had already clinched his spot in the next round prior to Sunday’s race, was quick to point out Johnson settling for second would have kept his championship hopes alive.

“Desperation on his part and pretty stupid, really, if you think about it,” Truex said on pit road after the race. “He was locked into the next round, and now he’s out. So my guess, if there’s a silver lining, that’s it.”

Blaney explained in his post-race press conference that he understands why Johnson went for it.

“By the time I got to them or by the time I was able to see something, Jimmie was sideways,” Blaney explained. “And I'm sure they just tried to out-brake each other, which you can't blame them. They're going for the win, of course.”

Johnson later continued his apology to Truex on Twitter, writing: “Everyone makes mistakes... apologies to the 78 and all of their fans.”

It was a disappointing end to a disappointing season for Johnson, whose last trip to victory lane was June 4, 2017 at Dover International Speedway, where he earned his 83rd career win, moving him to sixth on the all-time list.

Even though the Hendrick Motorsports driver is no longer a title contender, it’s still possible he could win one of the remaining seven races this fall. But if he doesn’t, 2018 will be his first ever full-time season without a victory.

And to make matters worse, Johnson is still in the market for a new sponsor after Lowe’s — the only primary sponsor he’s known in his 17 full-time seasons — announced in March that it’s leaving the sport after this year.

Along with Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones and Austin Dillon were eliminated as the playoff field dropped to a dozen drivers. The first race in the Round of 12 is next Sunday at Dover International Speedway.