Charlotte, N.C. ? Sterling Marlin denied intentionally hitting Jimmie Johnson on the final lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, while Johnson dismissed rumors Tuesday of a later confrontation between the two at a casino.

The drivers were in the only side-by-side battle headed to the finish line in Sunday’s race. Fighting for eighth place coming out of Turn 4, Marlin’s Dodge wiggled, enough to bang into the left side of Johnson’s Chevrolet.

The contact sent Johnson spinning through the grass and to an 11th-place finish, the final car on the lead lap, drawing questions over Marlin’s intent.

“I didn’t intentionally hit him; we were just racing for position there at the end,” Marlin said Tuesday. “I went to make the pass under him and the car got loose and touched him. I hate it for Jimmie, because he’s a good, clean racer. It wasn’t intentional at all; it was just one of those racing deals.”

Marlin didn’t stick around after the race to take questions, giving his first version of the events Tuesday.

Johnson did talk to reporters, wondering if Marlin had deliberately spun him out — perhaps contributing to rumors of a showdown between the two at the Bellagio casino later that night.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t even seen Sterling,” Johnson said. “I spoke to his crew chief and his spotter, but I never even saw him afterward.”

Johnson was clearly angry after the accident, racing his car through the garage as he appeared to go looking for Marlin.

Instead, he headed back to his transporter, where he vented to crew chief Chad Knaus and teammate Jeff Gordon for more than 15 minutes while watching replays of the wreck.

Before leaving the track, he was seen speaking briefly with Lee McCall, Marlin’s crew chief.

Johnson said he took some solace in not losing as many positions in the finishing order as he originally thought. While his car was sitting on the grass, dozens more passed him to the finish line. But because all those cars were a lap or more down, Johnson only lost three spots because of the wreck.

“At the time we were upset, but we reviewed the tape and talked to his guys,” Johnson said. “I raced with Sterling all last year and never had any contact with him. So it’s not like I think he was doing something intentional. I was just upset at the time.

“We lost a few more spots and spun out and almost crashed. But you know, that was that and it’s over.”