That’s the sound of the “fat lady” warming up and getting ready to sing. No, she hasn’t sung about the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup but she’s about to cut loose.
In the glorious 61 year history of NASCAR nobody has ever done what we are getting close to seeing. History is on the horizon.
In the 1976 through 1978, Cale Yarborough won three straight NASCAR Cup Series Championships. In 1979 he finished fourth behind Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison.
Petty may have won seven, but could never string more than two-in-a-row together. From 1971 through 1975, he won four of five crowns. But, in 1973, Benny Parsons snuck in as Champion.
On three occasions (1986-87; 1990-91; and 1993-94), the great Dale Earnhardt went back-to-back, but the “Intimidator” couldn’t win three in a row.
Jeff Gordon, who has four, couldn’t hold the crown for more than a couple of seasons (1997-98) before someone else (Dale Jarrett) stepped in to claim the top prize.
Jimmie Johnson is on the cusp of history with a fourth-straight Championship.
Naysayers have reasons why this is happening: the Chase, the tracks in the Chase, the crew chief are their cries. Reality is those are all wrong.
Those who make this a by-product of the Chase will say that “he only has to focus on 10 races, not the whole season”. In the four years where Johnson has reined supreme no other driver has made the Chase field all four times. Not Jeff Gordon, not Tony Stewart nor the Busch boys; so the first 26 races played a major factor in those Championship hopes. Johnson has 20 “regular season” wins in the last four years; not bad numbers for races that “don’t matter”.
Also, when looking at the history of Championship battles how many times has the eventual winner had to battle 9 or 11 other drivers, all bunched up within about a hundred points with 10 races remaining.
I’ll argue that winning a championship in the Chase era may be more difficult simply because of that.
Other will cry: “the tracks in the Chase favor the 48 team and they focus on those”….DUH!
They do focus on those races, but except for the minor California-Atlanta shift this year the tracks have been the same for every year of the Chase.
The question should not be about the Lowe’s team “studying up” for those races, but more so why aren’t the other teams doing that.
Folks, it’s not the Chase and it’s not the tracks. It’s the team, led by a talented driver.
Jimmie Johnson may be one of the best drivers to strap into a stock car – in the glorious 61 year history of the sport. Mark Martin learned early in his tenure at Hendrick Motorsports why Johnson wins: “He works harder than any other driver,” is what the veteran says.
Johnson is focused, patient when needed, aggressive when needed and has amazing car-control. How many times have we seen him late in a race, tracking down some poor soul at the front of the field -- Lowe’s Chevy sideways just making up time? The guy is good, very good; and, so underrated.
When we talk at times about the greats in the sport, we list them like this: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Jimmie and Chad.
This is not taking anything away from Chad Knaus, the leader of the Lowe’s team – he is also among the best in the glorious 61-year history of the sport. It takes a good crew chief, pit crew, mechanics, equipment and team owner to win championships….always has, always will.
But, the best cars, crew and strategy are useless if not executed properly and week-in-and-week-out, year-in-and-year-out, Johnson pulls it off.
So, as the fat lady warms up, take a moment to think about what we may be seeing.
“Where were you when Jimmie Johnson clinched his fourth?”
“Did you ever get to see Jimmie Johnson drive?”
“Was he THAT good at Martinsville?”
Fifteen years from now those may be the question you are asked.
Enjoy and put these days in the memory bank, we are witnessing history and it’s pretty special.