Tag: Jimmie Johnson

NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

“We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

But appearances can be deceiving.

During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

“The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

Biggest Controversy: The September 7^th race at Richmond International Raceway

The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13^th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each. Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

Best Move: Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

“Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

“We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

“It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

“Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

“I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

“It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?

December 3, 2013

Hot 20 over the Chase 10 – Jimmie Johnson was not perfect, but more than good enough in 2013

A mulligan is a do over, a chance to remove from consideration what one has done in the hopes of replacing it with something done better. This year in the Chase, a mulligan was no more than the name of a steam shovel operator from a book in primary school.

So, what would constitute a mulligan in Jimmie Johnson’s world? The closest he came during the Chase would have been his 13th place finish at Talladega. It was the only track he failed to record a Top Ten, one of just three he was not in the Top Five in those ten events. Matt Kenseth was 20th at Talladega and 23rd at Phoenix. Kevin Harvick was 20th at Loudon. Dale Earnhardt Jr had a 35th place result in Chicago, and 15th at Charlotte. All in all, pretty darn good, just not good enough when compared to the six time champion.

Johnson won the title by 19 points over Kenseth in the official standings and he was best over the ten Chase races by 22. Even if we went old school with a 36 race tally, Six Pack would have beat out Harvick by 41 points over the season and Kenseth by 56 to claim the crown. In short, Johnson did not allow any mulligan’s to be used, as a finish outside the Top 13 pretty much ended one’s hopes. His average finish in the Chase was a very hot 5.1.

The good news is that his standard, this hot streak, can, and has been done better. From August 12 through October 1st in 1967, Richard Petty’s average finish was 1…with a record of ten straight victories. Yes, it can be done but something tells me that this might not offer much solace to those hoping to keep J.J. from tying the King and the Intimidator in season championships in 2014.

Here is a look at our hottest 20 drivers over the ten Chase races.

	Driver	W	T5	T10	Ave	Pts
1	Jimmie Johnson	2	7	9	5.1	407
2	Matt Kenseth	2	6	7	7.4	385
3	Kevin Harvick	2	3	8	7.3	379
4	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	0	5	8	8.5	363
5	Kyle Busch	0	5	7	9.5	352
6	Jeff Gordon	1	3	5	11.3	337
7	Clint Bowyer	0	2	6	10.9	336
8	Brad Keselowski	1	2	5	12.9	321
9	Joey Logano	0	3	5	12.6	320
10	Greg Biffle	0	1	3	12.6	318
11	Kurt Busch	0	3	3	13.3	309
12	Martin Truex, Jr.	0	1	4	13.4	307
13	Jamie McMurray	1	2	3	16	286
14	Ryan Newman	0	0	6	16	286
15	Kasey Kahne	0	3	3	16.2	283
16	Jeff Burton	0	0	1	16.5	278
17	Carl Edwards	0	1	3	16.9	276
18	Denny Hamlin	1	1	4	17.8	268
19	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	0	1	2	17.6	265
20	Paul Menard	0	1	2	18.9	251

December 3, 2013

SHR continues to get stronger

On the last edition of The Inside Pass (www.theinsidepass.net), heard on Tuesday November 26th, my co-host Randy Miller and I spoke at length with veteran spotter Tim Fedewa. The conversation ranged from the new Gen 6 car and the struggles of the Ford camp to find speed through out the season to what Tim is looking forward to doing during the off season (hunting for those wondering).

The telling point in the interview was when Randy Miller asked Tim what his plans were for next season. Tim broke the news that he would be moving to the number 4 car and would be spotting for Kevin Harvick moving forward into the 2014 season. Tim is still currently under contract with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) until the end of the year, which for those that do not know the NASCAR year typically ends on December 31st of each year. Tim expected to be spotting for RPM during the early December testing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tim believes that he will be spotting for Aric Almilrola during that testing session, but nothing is firmed up yet. During the off air conversation, Tim also confirmed that this would be a year to year contract.

When asked Tim stated that he is excited about thae move, and that he is very appreciative of everything that working at the legendary Richard Petty Motorsports has done for him personally and professionally. He enjoyed working with Marcus Ambrose and felt strongly that they as a team were really close to getting the Australian driver his first oval track win. As the interview progressed, I asked Tim exactly what does a spotter do to help build the level of trust up that is needed between a spotter and a driver moving into the January testing at Daytona, which is where Kevin and Tim will be working together for the first time. Tim’s response was enlightening, they are going to be sitting down to lunches together along with recently named crew chief Rodney Childers, who is leaving Micheal Waltrip Racing (MWR), along with the car chief to try and get on the same page moving forward.

As the title of this article implies gaining a veteran spotter such as Tim bodes well for the fans of Kevin Harvick and does not bode well for the rest of the field. Tim has been spotting in the national series dating back to when the Sprint Cup was known as the Nextel Cup. Tim is a former racer turned spotter. He understands how to help a driver navigate the traffic and track in order to help his team and driver get the very best out of the car. When teamed with a driver who is known for taking care of his equipment and being “there” at the end of a race, this could potentially be the new powerhouse driver/spotter combination. When asked what he had already been doing to prepare for the potential move to Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Tim replied that he had been scanning the 29 cars channels in order to pick up on the lingo and the meter that Billy O’Dea and Kevin used throughout the latter stages of the year so that he would be better prepared for his new role with Kevin.

Tim’s pedigree in racing is not a short lived one, he was born into a racing family. His father Butch raced in several series eventually reaching the ARCA/ReMax series before retiring and began helping Tim with his racing career. Tim made limited starts in the Camping World Truck and some 300 Nationwide Series starts, with four wins in that series, along with one start in the Winston Cup Series, and also ran in a relief role for John Andretti with Petty Motorsports at the Coke 600 in 2000 when John was injured. Tim understands the nuances that help make a car go fast, this role with the new number 4 team is not something that Tim simply fell into over night. He has been doing this for awhile now, and he has the respect of his peers atop the spotter’s stand. While NASCAR may have mandated rules changes that there would no longer be “deals” made from the spotters stand, I hope no one is naive enough to think that the spotters don’t work together to try and help their driver out when trying to make their way through the field.

When you take a look at the cache of talented members continuously being added to the stables over at Stewart-Haas Racing, I think that we could see a few new/old faces challenging Jimmie Johnson (six time) for the championship next season.

November 28, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson clinched his sixth Sprint Cup championship, and first in two years, with a ninth at Homestead. He finished the season 19 points ahead of Matt Kenseth.

“That’s Cup number six,” Johnson said. “Now it takes two hands to indicate my championships. That makes me a second-hand champion, and that’s something everyone needs to get ‘used’ to.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Homestead and finished second, as Jimmie Johnson clinched the Sprint Cup championship. Kenseth finished second in the standings, 19 points back.

“We gave it our all,” Kenseth said, “but that wasn’t enough. And it’s painful. But, all in all, it was a successful year for Joe Gibbs Racing. Still, JGR gently weeps.”

3. Kevin Harvick: In his last race for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick took tenth in the Ford EcoBoost 400. He finished third in the points standings, 34 out of first.

“Like Kurt Busch, I’m off to drive for Tony Stewart,” Harvick said. “I expect a smooth transition from RCR to Stewart Haas. Why? Because with Busch as a teammate, I already want to leave.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished third at Homestead, posting his tenth top-5 result of the year. He completed the year fifth in the points, 56 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.

“I was awesome over the last five races,” Earnhardt said. “In fact, I scored more points over the final five Chase races than Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Unlike me, Johnson can look back fondly on the ‘first five.’”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished seventh in the Ford EcoBoost 400, scoring his 22nd top-10 result of the year. He finished the season fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 55 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“I’m happy to have a respectable Chase finish,” Busch said. “But this championship is all about Jimmie Johnson. Six Cups is historic. Based on his driving, Jimmie deserves a statue. Based on his personality, he is a statue.”

6. Jeff Gordon: Gordon, who won last year at Homestead, took 11th on Sunday, just missing his 18th top 10 of the year. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 82 out of first.

“Jimmie Johnson raised the championship trophy for the sixth time,” Gordon said. “I guess you could say, ‘The world is his hoister.’”

7. Joey Logano: Logano, in the No. 22 Penske Ford, finished eighth at Homestead. He finished eighth in the points standings, 96 out of first.

“My friends call me ‘Sliced Bread,’” Logano said. “My enemies call me ‘Slight Build,’ probably because I’m no threat, to them or the Sprint Cup championship.”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won Saturday’s Nationwide Ford EcoBoost 300 and finished sixth in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400. Jimmie Johnson clinched the Sprint Cup title as Keselowski’s one-year reign as champion came to an end.

“This year gave me very little to shout about,” Keselowski said, “and even less to tweet about. But I’m still one of NASCAR’s most individualistic drivers. Hopefully, when all is said and done, they won’t be calling me the ‘one and only’ because of my single Sprint Cup title.”

9. Greg Biffle: Biffle struggled with handling issues and came home 24th at Homestead, finishing ninth in the points standings, the highest among Roush Fenway Racing drivers.

“I’m of good mind to give Jimmie Johnson a piece of my mind,” Biffle said. “Maybe that way, he’ll give me a piece of his, and I can finally say I have the mindset of a champion.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fifth in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead. He finished seventh in the points standings, 83behind Jimmie Johnson.

“Did you see Johnson’s victory burnout?” Bowyer said. “It was impressive, but didn’t produce anything like the smokescreen I made with my spin at Richmond.”

November 19, 2013
The Final Word goes to Jimmie Johnson…again

He is one of the greatest drivers of all time. Jimmie Johnson’s name has long been among such icons as Tony Stewart, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, and Lee Petty. By the time he was done his run of five, he had even surpassed Jeff Gordon and now only Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty have claimed more titles. He is the best driver of his era, he has the best crew chief in Chad Knaus, drives for the best team owned by Rick Hendrick and, with the departure of NAPA, you could argue that Lowe’s is even the best sponsor in NASCAR. Is it any wonder Johnson has six Cup championships to his credit?

There are those who do not like to see one guy win so much. If I am watching greatness, if I am watching what has become an historic championship dynasty, I believe I am fortunate to be a witness to it. No one had before won five straight crowns and only two legends have won more titles over their career. Some may forget that Matt Kenseth, the race and season runner up, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett, or even 2012 winner Brad Keselowski are former champs. No one with even a passing interest in the sport could ever say the same about Jimmie Johnson even years from today. Love him or not, Johnson is the Celtics, Yankees, Canadiens, and Eskimos (remember, I am Canadian) of his sport. Chad Knaus is their Red Auerbach, Joe McCarthy, Toe Blake, and Hugh Campbell. By the way, is Six Time a real athlete? If Donovan McNabb, who is ten months younger than Johnson, would like to challenge the driver to wind sprints, be my guest.

Johnson finished ninth on Sunday, while ten of the 13 Chasers finished among the Top 13 on the day. The race marked the likely final run in the Cup career of Juan Pablo Montoya (18th at Homestead) while Mark Martin (882 races) and Ken Schrader (763) seem to be done at this level. Still, something tells me that you can be sure to see them racing something somewhere yet.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr was 22nd on Sunday and named the circuit’s top rookie. His competition, and girlfriend, Danica Patrick was two spots better at Homestead. That did not happen often enough. The boy had 25 Top 20’s in 2013, the girl had 9.

Rating Homestead – 7/10 – Only late in the game was one fully secure in the probability Johnson would lay claim to the crown. Kenseth threatened to win the race to maximize his points day, and it was up to the newly named Six Time to avoid disaster. Denny Hamlin ended a horrid season with a victory, Junior mattered in this race and season, and we learned not to get too close to a burning tire. Now, if I could mute the announcers while maintaining the ambient sound, my television experience could be truly enhanced.

No change in the announce booth for 2014. Same goes for the schedule, though some off season tinkering with the car hopefully might equate into more successful passing. Change is coming on the track, as ten full-time rides will have different hands on the wheel. One ride is gone (#56) to be replaced by two new full-time entries (#41 and #95), with two changing numbers (#29 becomes either #3 or #33, and #39 becomes #4). All this, and we still have about a hundred days before they fire up at Daytona.

Enjoy the winter!

November 19, 2013
The Near Infallible & Unstoppable Force That Is Jimmie Johnson & Team 48

In racing, there are three kinds of champions. The first one is obvious; it’s the driver who hoists the Cup at season’s end after they out-perform their adversaries on the track. Then there are the ones that were born champions but hold no such trophies. The ones of impeccable character who only speak when they have something say. They are humble, tenacious, self-motivated and are incapable of comprehending the words, “it can’t be done.” Then we have the racers that are both. Jimmie Johnson is among that elite contingent.

Jimmie Johnson is now a six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion which is a feat accomplished only by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt until now. That team has gone into the final race of the season with a mathematical shot at winning the championship nearly every season since 2004 with the exception of 2011. Over the years, he’s battled and defeated great drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Mark Martin in his pursuit of six championships.

Why Is The No.48 Team So Good?

When you take one of the most talented drivers out there, put him in the best equipment there is and combine that with a genius like Chad Knaus, magical things are going to happen. This is the era of the No.48 and in my eyes; it’s the greatest race team to ever exist in the history of NASCAR. Rick Hendrick doesn’t need to give pep talks to his guys as motivation. Hendrick Motorsports employees know what is expected of them and they always deliver.

Jimmie has the car control, the mental fortitude, the natural talent to wheel the fastest cars in the field to the max of their capabilities and most crucially, he thrives when the pressure is applied. Chad Knaus is an innovator that takes the fastest and most durable cars in the field and somehow, makes them go even faster. You can put their backs against a wall, throw as much adversity as you want their way and they will still find a way to emerge victorious. That is why this group is always at or near the top every single year. They are the complete package. There is no Achilles Heel.

What Does Title No.6 Mean?

When this team won a 5th straight, that was a remarkable accomplishment but there is something about winning a 6th that takes them to whole new level. Jimmie is plus two titles over any other driver in history besides Petty and Earnhardt who hold a coveted 7th. Less than a decade ago, he didn’t even have a single championship to his credit and to think that Jimmie Johnson is just one more stellar year away from matching those two immortals of stock car racing is nearly incomprehensible to me. The No.48 team can certainly be beat, they are human believe it or not but take away the rear gear failure at Homestead in 2012, the wreck they had there in 2005 and we may be looking at an eight-time champion right now.

Impact On NASCAR

For NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson winning yet another championship is a double-edged sword. It’s great because Jimmie is a perfect representative for the sport. He is a family man, a class act, articulate, engages with the fans on social media and never ruffles any feathers. Now here’s why it’s a double-edged sword. Johnson’s dominance has led a lot of fans to greatly dislike him. (That’s the nice way of putting it) In fact, I read countless tweets from people saying that they were not going to watch the season finale just because he was most likely going to win the title.

Some of his detractors have quit watching the sport altogether and then there are others who come up with eccentric theories in an attempt to deny the incontrovertible fact that he is one of best drivers of all-time. Last year, NASCAR’s champion was the highly outspoken and sometimes brash, Brad Keselowski. It’s obvious that someone stirring the pot all the time and giving interviews to SportsCenter while drunk is going to get more eyeballs turned our way compared to a driver such as 6-time (gotta get used to saying that sooner than later) who is never embroiled in any controversies.

What The Future Holds

Chad Knaus issued an ominous warning Sunday night when he said that the No.48 team isn’t even close to their full potential yet. Cue the audible gulp from the racing community. When will this dynasty finally come to an end? At seven? Maybe eight? Heck, could they even reach 10? I see no team, no driver that is capable of taking this team down for good. The thing that will permanently end the reign of Jimmie Johnson will most likely be something you can’t fight back against and that’s time. He’s 37 years old and considering how fit Jimmie is, he could have well over ten more years left in him although I don’t see 42 year old Chad Knaus sticking around that long. Keep in mind that he’s won six titles and sixty-six races in eight years when thinking about how many he’s got left behind the wheel.

One day, Jimmie Johnson will be inducted into the NASCAR HOF and people will watch old videos of him in absolute awe of what he accomplished. He will be labeled a legend and revered by all. Fans will want to be edified about his career and wish they could have been there in person to witness it. He will be idolized, immortalized and no longer criticized. That day is not here yet though.

We are witnessing history right now with Jimmie Johnson. You don’t have to like it but you better respect it.

November 18, 2013
Jimmie Johnson: Where Title Number 6 Stacks Up

Anybody can form a formidable argument that Jimmie Johnson only has three championships, but the history books will always reveal that Johnson is “Mr. 6 Time”, and probably soon to be “7 Time”.

After a decent run at Homestead and avoiding calamity on a restart, Johnson ended up finishing 9th to secure his 6th title by a 19 point margin over Matt Kenseth. Overall, it was an incredible season for the No.48, but where does this championship season rank against his five other championship seasons? Just how amazing was the No.48 team in 2013?

Let’s rank their greatest championship seasons, starting from number six, and working our way down to number one.

6) 2006: Championship Number 1

It only seems fitting that Johnson’s first championship would be one of his “worst” season performances. And by worst, I mean having 5 wins, 13 top 5s, and 24 top 10s, and a career-best average finish of 9.7. Reminiscent of 2013, he held off Matt Kenseth by 56 points to start his streak of five titles in a row. By no means was this a bad season for the No.48 team, who ended up winning the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and The All-Star Race all in the same year.

5) 2013: Championship Number 6

Coming in at number five on the list, it’s championship number six for “Mr. 6-Time”. As always, it was still a stellar performance by the No.48 team, posting 6 victories, 16 top 5s, 24 top 10s, and an average finish of 10.7. He also won swept the races at Daytona, almost won the Brickyard 400, and won his 4th All-Star Race. Overall, it was a formidable season for the No.48, but it wasn’t his best.

4) 2010: Championship Number 5

In a season where Johnson became known as “5-Time”, it didn’t come without an epic fight between himself and Denny Hamlin, who ultimately lost the race do to a wreck at Homestead. Johnson cruised to his 5th title by 39 points over Hamlin, and ended up scoring 6 wins, 17 top 5s, 23 top 10s, with an average finish of 12.2. Some fans may argue that this is actually his worst championship season, due to Johnson having four DNFs on the year.

3) 2008: Championship Number 3

This was the year where everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor when they waved the checkered flag at Homestead. Nobody thought that Cale Yarborough’s record of three titles in a row was ever going to be matched, and sure enough in 2008, Johnson did just that. And with 7 victories, 15 top 5s, and 22 top 10s, his performance backed it up. He also scored another Brickyard 400 victory to add to his immaculate resume.

2) 2009: Championship Number 4

One year later, Cale Yarborough’s record was broken. Johnson had won an amazing four championships in a row. Wow was this even possible? You could say the chase had something to do with it, but I believe his 7 victories, 16 top 5s, and 24 top 10s also had something to do with it.

1) 2007: Championship Number 2

You can argue where I placed Championship’s 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, but it will be very hard to argue against putting 2007 at the number one spot. Take his 10 wins for starters, including four wins in a row and the end of the year. Not to mention, he also scored a colossal 20 top 5s, and 24 top 10s. I think it’s safe to say, this was the best championship-winning season by the No.48 team.

November 18, 2013
Surprising and Not Surprising: Homestead Ford EcoBoost 400

With the crowning of just one last champion to join Matt Crafton, Truck Series Champion, and Austin Dillon, Nationwide Series Champion, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the final race of the season, the Ford EcoBoost 400, at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Surprising: For someone used to winning championships, especially after his sixth, Jimmie Johnson was surprisingly emotional in Victory Lane, especially as he remembered his grandmother who had passed away and when he saw his wife and daughter Genevieve appear to congratulate him.

“I know there was an angel, at least one, but maybe four angles riding on this car,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet said. “My Grandmother passed away a month or so ago, and I am without grandparents now which is a sad thing.”

“But, I know my Grandma and my other grandparents were helping me guide this car around this car around the track,” Johnson continued. “This one is for her.”

“She was my biggest fan.”

Johnson became most emotional when he talked about his wife and mother of his two children Chandra.

“She is the strongest woman on the planet,” Johnson said. “She makes me who I am, and makes me a better man.”

“She does a fantastic job raising these kids and keeping me in line; I am her third kid,” Johnson continued. “I am so thankful to have her as wife.”

“We are going to have a lot of fun and enjoy this moment.”

Johnson finished the Homestead race in the ninth position, which put him 19 points ahead of Kenseth for the Sprint Cup championship. This was the 11th championship for Hendrick Motorsports and makes Johnson only one of three competitors, including Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, to win six or more championships.

Not Surprising: There were at least two drivers, the second and third place finishers at Homestead-Miami Speedway, that along with many fans have one simple wish – that the season would not end.

“For me, when you’re running good, you kind of don’t want the season to end in a way,” Matt Kenseth, runner up in the last race and in the championship, said. “You want to keep going to the track.”

“To me as I get older, the seasons go faster and faster honestly,” Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, continued. “It was more fun this season so in a way, you don’t want it to end.”

Third place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not agree with Kenseth more.

“Ever since I started working with Steve (Letarte, crew chief) and that whole team, I hadn’t wanted the year to end,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet said. “We seem to get better as the season goes.”

“You would just love to go to another race next week.”

Surprising: After a surprisingly tough season of injury, recovery and struggles, Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, scored his first victory in the last race of the year. This was Hamlin’s second win in nine races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“It was just an amazing drive,” Hamlin said. “Just proud of Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and this whole team for giving me a race-winning car.”

“It just gives us huge momentum,” Hamlin continued. “We started kicking things into gear about two months ago and then last week with a horrific effort and that kind of gets your spirits down, but then to come here to Miami and back it up with a win — this is something we can think about for the entire winter.”

Not Surprising: The reigning champ of 2012, Brad Keselowski, was the highest finishing Ford, bringing the Blue Deuce to the checkered flag in the sixth position.

“We definitely had the car on the short runs, but just weren’t close on the long runs,” Keselowski said of his last race of the season. “If we could have got the long run speed to go with the short run speed, we would have killed them tonight, but we just didn’t have that.”

Even with a solid top-ten finish, Keselowski could not help but reflect on the championship year that ended when Jimmie Johnson hoisted the champion’s trophy.

“A champion is forever,” Keselowski said thoughtfully. “It might not be reining, but you’re still a champion forever.”

“I’m proud of that.”

Surprising: Kevin Harvick is looking forward to a surprisingly new adventure with now former team owner Richard Childress.

“I think Martinsville brought a lot of things to a head and we were able to talk about a lot of things,” Harvick said of the controversy between him and Childress. “Really this was the way I would want to leave with everybody shaking hands and happy that we have been together and been successful together.”

“I can’t wait for our first hunt together as friends,” Harvick continued. “That will be good times.”

Harvick, in his last race with the ‘ole two niner’ finished tenth at Homestead and third in the championship points, 34 points behind six-time winner Jimmie Johnson.

Not Surprising: In his first year with Penske Racing and with an eighth place finish in the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford at Homestead, Joey Logano pronounced his year good.

“I’m more impressed with our year,” Logano said. “We did a good job this year and learned a lot about each other, and learned a lot about where we could have done a better job in races and where we need to improve next year and where to work on our cars during the off-season.”

“I had a lot of fun this year and this was my best season personally,” Logano continued. “We’ve got areas we need to improve and we’ll do it.”

Logano also had a significant moment off the track to top off the 2013 season as he got engaged as well.

Surprising: One of the most surprising moments of the race occurred when Paul Menard, who had sustained damage during a wild restart, came to pit road in flames. The right rear tire then exploded sending parts and pieces flying throughout pit road.

Thankfully no one, including the driver of the No. 27 MOEN/Menards Chevrolet, was injured. Menard, who at times was in the top-five running order, finished 39^th.

“That was pretty wild,” Menard said. “We were having a great day.”

“On that restart, everybody kind of checked up and we got some right rear damage and had a flat tire,” Menard continued. “I guess a bunch of rubber got wrapped up underneath around the axle I guess.”

“Came in a couple of times trying to fix the damage and try to get the rubber off,” Menard said. “We didn’t get it all and I guess it just caught fire.”

“I didn’t really know it until there was a little bit of spark coming in the car and landed on the window net, thought that was kind of weird,” Menard continued. “About a lap later they said I was on fire; I lost my brakes, then the damn wheel blew right off (the car).”

Not Surprising: Even four-time champions can make a mistake or two and Jeff Gordon did just that, spinning his wheels on a restart, with almost catastrophic results for at least one of the championship contenders.

“Yeah, I was trying to get some momentum and he (Denny Hamlin) checked up and it just messed the whole thing up and I got wheel spin,” Gordon said. “That is the second time this year I have done that right in front of Matt (Kenseth) and he has drove right into the back of me and about wrecked us both.”

“The last thing I would want to do in front of Matt is that, but you can’t run into the guy you know,” Gordon continued. “It was a bad unfortunate situation and it just trickles on back from there.”

“It could have been even worse.”

Surprising: Danica Patrick had a surprisingly good run for the last race of the season and in fact was the highest finishing rookie in 20^th. This was Patrick’s eighth top-20 of her rookie 2013 season.

“It’s one thing to have the yellow stripe on the car,” Patrick said. “It’s another thing with all the things being a rookie signifies, which a lot is, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing.’

So I think that’s what I’m most pleased about is, now I’ve done the whole season, I’ve gone to every track and learned a lot about a lot of things — not just cars but about the team — and it just makes me more prepared for the future.”

Not Surprising: Even with Patrick finishing ahead of him, boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. still scored the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors.

“It means a lot, looking at all the other names that have won this award,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It definitely wasn’t the season that we wanted, but we slowly but surely got better throughout the season.”

“I was proud of what we did throughout the season, of getting better, qualifying better, having runs up front, and leading laps throughout the year,” the driver of the No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford said. “Thought we had a chance at winning some races there, at least being in contention.”

“I was proud of those moments.”

This concludes the Surprising and Not Surprising column for the 2013 season. Thanks for all the reads and comments, have a great holiday season, and cheers to an exciting 2014 season, coming in just 100 days at Daytona!

November 17, 2013
Hamlin wins the battle, Johnson wins the war

Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Denny Hamlin, found the silver lining in a dark cloud of a season. Hamlin ran strong throughout the entire race leading 72 laps en route to victory.

Hamlin looked like the Hamlin of old, when many were picking him to win the championship. An obviously happy Hamlin talked about his win, “It was just an amazing drive. I knew we had a strong car. Pit strategy worked out great for us. We came back from the mid-20’s early in the race and we drove back up there. Just proud of Darian (Grubb) and this whole team for giving me a race-winning car.”

Championship contender, Matt Kenseth, was flawless the entire weekend. He was fast in practice, sat on the pole, led the most laps, and was catching Hamlin late in the race until being challenged by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt, turning in one of his most impressive runs of the year, tried Kenseth on the inside and outside in an attempt to take second, but came up just short. The battle, however, permitted Hamlin to slightly pull away.

Kenseth’s second place finish was not enough to prevent Jimmie Johnson from clinching his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Johnson was once again smooth, consistent and executed everything perfectly en route to the title.

Kenseth commented on his season, “Obviously, it’s been a great year, the best I’ve ever had. Had a lot of fun racing over at Joe Gibbs Racing.” He continued, “For me, when you’re running good, you kind of don’t want the season to end in a way. You want to keep going to the track. When you end the season on not as good a note, you come down here and struggle, you’re ready for a month or two break.”

“Oh wow… I don’t even know where to start here. I am at a loss for words, but I am so proud, and so thankful for this opportunity at Hendrick Motorsports.”, Johnson said as he looked back at the cheering crowd and allowing the fact that he is a six time champion sink in.

Johnson had two close calls that could have taken away his chances. During a restart, the field stacked up ad Johnson, ironically, got into the back of Kenseth. Johnson also had a run-in with Greg Biffle. Biffle seemed to run Johnson very hard and give him as little as possible. Earlier in the season at Martinsville, Biffle was irate with Johnson after the race due to the fact that he thought Johnson ran hi too hard. This could have been his way of getting a little payback.

Johnson survived all challenges and when the checkered flag fell, he found himself in ninth place, giving him a 19 point gap over Kenseth and put him one step closer to tying the record for the most championships. That title is currently held by two legends of the sport– Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

Johnson is writing his own chapter of NASCAR history. He has easily been the most consistent driver in the sport since his first full season in 2002. Johnson’s record speaks for itself – 435 starts – 66 wins – 182 top-5’s – 272 top-10’s. A record that earned him five straight and six total championships.

Johnson, who is 38 years old, still has plenty of time to break several records. With no signs of slowing down, he could easily win nine or ten championships and could possibly reach David Pearson’s mark of 105 wins. Regardless of how many wins or championships he ends up with, his unprecedented record will forever have its place in NASCAR history.

This championship also gave team owner, Rick Hendrick, his 11^th championship surpassing Petty Enterprises for the most all-time.

Roush-Fenway Racing driver, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., clinched the Rookie of the Year title over Danica Patrick. Stenhouse accumulated three top-10’s with one top-5 during the season and finished 19^th in the final points standings.

Asked about his win, Stenhouse replied, “It means a lot, looking at all the other names that have won this award. It definitely wasn’t the season that we wanted, but we slowly but surely got a little bit better throughout the season.”

As another NASCAR season comes to a close, we look forward to 2014. With many drivers changing teams, teams changing manufacturers, a group of rookies that could lead to the best Rookie of the Year battle in recent history, it is sure to be a fantastic year.

November 17, 2013
Donovan McNabb Ignorantly Claims Jimmie Johnson Is Not An Athlete

The huge smiles on the faces of NASCAR fans across the country following the epic CWTS season finale were quickly replaced by looks of utter bewilderment and complete disgust.

What caused such a drastic and sudden change in emotions? Well, it was the result of retired NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb’s ignorant statement regarding five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on Fox Sports Live after the race. McNabb said “Do I think he’s an athlete? Absolutely not.” He then went on to say, “He sits in a car and drives. That’s not athletic.”

It didn’t take long for social media and Twitter specifically to explode with irate race fans and members of the racing community slamming McNabb to the ground for his comments.

NASCAR Nation Reacts

Jimmie Johnson: The debate continues… Everyone is entitled to an opinion. #DriversAreAthletes

Kyle Larson: “Donovan McNabb is a moron. Says Jimmie Johnson isn’t an athlete because he doesn’t do anything active, just drives a car….I’d like to see him drive a stock car for 500 miles.”

“Donovan McNabb must be mad he never won a championship and Jimmie just keeps winning them over and over again.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr: “Wow Donovan McNabb really? Got to b an idiot. I’d like to see him keep up with Jimmie Johnson in a workout. And drive our cars for 500miles.”

Jeff Burton: We need a cup owner to provide a current car, go to Bristol,put McNabb in for 500 laps by himself. Then ask if drivers are athletes #educate

Jeff Gordon: 20+ yr debate. @NASCAR driver athlete? Never met a “athlete” who actually drove a racecar that doubted it. Care to take a ride Donovan?

Sherry Pollex (MTJ Girlfriend): “Wow McNabb just said Jimmie Johnson isn’t an athlete on Fox Sports 1. Ummm what?!! The guys a machine. #smdh #cantfixstupid”

DeLana Harvick: “Hearing people “discuss” our sport who have no freakin clue what they’re talking about is awesome…”

Jeffrey Earnhardt: “Can we find a way to put Donovan McNabb in a racecar for saying Jimmie Johnson isn’t a athlete? Anyone’s thoughts?”

The terms Donovan McNabb, #NASCAR & #PeopleMoreAthleticThanDonovanMcNabb quickly began trending nationwide on Twitter. Later, Fox Sports Live tweeted “Any race fans on Twitter tonight? Tough to find a more passionate fan base!” My favorite tweet of the night came from @TheMiniChad who said “well done Donovan McNabb – you did something we all thought impossible. you brought every nascar fan on twitter come to JJ’s side!”

Here is full video of the that statement that has the racing community so angry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWVmEvgByto&feature=youtu.be

This isn’t McNabb’s first NASCAR related blunder either. Earlier this year, he mistakenly congratulated Danica Patrick on her Daytona 500 victory when she had in fact, only earned pole position for the race proving that this guy has no prior knowledge of the sport and therefore, shouldn’t be talking about it on national television. Then there was the infamous Golden Tate incident a couple years back as well.

McNabb Responds To NASCAR Nation’s Anger: “Glad to see that you are watching Fox Sports Live. If you have any questions to what I said, look up the word and you will have your answer.”

The misconception that racecar drivers aren’t athletes has been an issue for a while. The problem is people have literally nothing to compare it to except for driving a street car on the highway at 60mph which obviously takes very little effort. In reality, there are no similarities between driving a street car and a racecar other than the fact they both have steering wheels and pedals. I’ve been in a racecar at speeds upwards of 170mph and let me tell you, there are no comparisons whatsoever to what you feel in a street car.

Is it a coincidence that arguably the fittest driver in the garage is the most successful? No, it is not. It’s a sport that requires you to endure temperatures similar to that of the Sahara Desert inside the cockpit. You need to have reflexes on par with a fighter pilot’s and an endurance that rivals an Olympic track runner. In a race, one needs to maintain an extremely high level of alertness for three to four consecutive hours while at the same time fighting G-forces that are constantly pulling your arms down and putting a fair amount of pressure on your chest and legs.

Oh, and occasionally fighting the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning as well. You hang onto 3,000 pound machines that are about as controllable as an incensed bull, inches away from your closest competitor and knowing very well that any lapse in judgement could spell the end of your day, possibly your career and in the most severe circumstances, your life. There are no errors or fouls allowed in NASCAR; you must be perfect at all times or face catastrophic consequences.

The hand-eye coordination needed to control the car at the absolute edge of its capabilities and at breakneck speeds is just like the hand-eye coordination needed to hit, catch and throw a ball except for the obvious fact that the stakes are much higher at 200mph. How about breaks? In football, plays last no longer than a few seconds and baseball players get to sit on a bench for about half the game. In NASCAR, you’re only break usually is a few minutes worth of caution.

Lets focus on physical toughness now. We’ve seen drivers race with broken ribs, concussions, dislocated shoulders, faces swollen to the point where they can’t see and a multitude of other injuries while some players in other sports sit out due to a sprained thumb. Drivers have collapsed following races due to sheer exhaustion on numerous occasions and you are going to try to tell me that it takes no physical effort to race in NASCAR?

If NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes, then I don’t know what an athlete is.

Jimmie Johnson’s Training Routine: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9984515

Via @TheStrengthGuys

November 16, 2013