Sep 9, 2014 2 min read

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports said Tuesday defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is feeling “much better” after suffering from dehydration at Richmond.

A spokeswoman also said crew chief Chad Knaus found nothing wrong in the car that would have caused Johnson’s dehydration.

The six-time NASCAR champion was assisted to the infield medical center following his eighth-place finish Saturday night. Johnson was lying down next to his car after the race and was helped by his crew to a golf cart.

He spent nearly 90 minutes in the care center and needed 5 liters of intravenous fluids and said after he wasn’t sure what caused the dehydration.

“We’ll have to dig in and see what happened, but it started cramping when I got out of the race car,” Johnson said. “And then when I was cramping, I was trying to stand up because it was hot and I sat down, then when I’d stand up I’d get dizzy and when I would sit back down I’d cramp again.”

Johnson said nothing about his health over his radio in the closing laps.

“There’s something that went wrong today,” he said Saturday night. “It could have been my own nutrition plan. I felt like I came in plenty hydrated. I was warm at the midway point. I didn’t feel like my helmet fan was working, so that definitely could be the cause and issue.”

Johnson did not participate in a sprint triathlon on Sunday for his foundation, but did attend as a spectator for about one hour.

Johnson plans to fulfill all his obligations this week associated with NASCAR’s promotion of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Johnson has a full slate of media activities planned today in New York, then again on Thursday in Chicago.

The 10-race Chase begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway, and Johnson will be seeking a record-tying seventh championship. His six titles are second only to Hall of Famers Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt.