Jimmie Johnson: 10 Reasons His Fifth Title Is Great for NASCAR
It has been bantered about in the media, on blogs and generally among NASCAR fans that Jimmie Johnson's fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup title is bad for the sport.
After the checkered flag dropped at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he screamed in the car, "Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Woohoo! You guys are the best. I can't believe we did this. Unbelievable!"
It was a feat that truly is unbelievable in NASCAR history especially with the tough competition that has evolved with the premier teams in the sport. Joe Gibbs Racing with driver, Denny Hamlin and Richard Childress Racing with driver, Kevin Harvick fought a valiant battle to take down Johnson.
Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon, badly wanted a fifth title before Johnson. Even the Roush Fenway teams were potential threats to him early in the Chase.
Many say people will tune out on NASCAR races if he continues to win titles, or they already have because of his fourth and fifth championships. Without a doubt what Johnson has done is unprecedented and will go down in history as greatness, though some debate that as well.
It is highly unlikely any NASCAR driver will match or exceed his five consecutive championships.
Numerous negative comments have surfaced concerning Johnson, his crew chief, Chad Knaus and Hendrick Motorsports.
Now let's take a step back and look at the positive aspects that are a by-product of his latest NASCAR title. It just may be this accomplishment of Johnson's was great for NASCAR.
No. 1 Media Attention to NASCAR
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Those in the media followed the story of Jimmie Johnson through the Chase and of course the stories about him, the contenders for the title and the effect of his title win closely.
They say, sometimes negative attention is better than no attention. Regardless of the coverage about Johnson and his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup title, it brought attention to NASCAR that is badly needed.
Coverage of the NASCAR Chase was reported from sources around the world. It is true someone who followed the story in Sao Paulo, Brazil may not make a concerted effort to attend a race in this country.
The fact that interest in the outcome of this season in NASCAR was monitored as it was and that it stirred emotion and controversy had to be good for the sport.
Even that individual who goes to his office and says to fellow employees, "I'm sick of Johnson and NASCAR and I'll never watch another race." has in effect made some person who has never watched a race or just viewed it casually, wonder what could stir such emotion.
The result quite likely could be a new fan is born who wants to know what triggers all the controversy. Others may choose to watch the next season of NASCAR just to see what will happen.
No. 2 Brian France
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The head guy at NASCAR, chairman, Brian France, has taken steps during the 2010 season to enhance the racing experience for fans partially because of the tedium Jimmie Johnson's fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup championship created along with a malaise that appeared to have set in because of rules and policies.
He went to the double file restarts, green-white-checkers and "boy's, have at it" to create more excitement in general during the races. Then during the season, he announced there would be changes to the Chase format to create even more of a winner-take-all playoff situation.
Though it wasn't stated as such, the changes to the Chase were based on Johnson being able to win four consecutive NASCAR titles. Now he watches the four-time champion morph into a five-time champ. We can only imagine what tweaks are racing through his mind as he contemplates the double-edged sword of the notoriety Johnson brought to the sport and the simultaneous negative impact with fans.
Maybe, just maybe, France will put a positive spin on the Chase format that will meet with fan and driver approval, despite many believing there should not even be a Chase.
No. 3 Jimmie Johnson Becomes Target
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If you watched NASCAR racing this past season, you saw some less than respectful driving around the then four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Jimmie Johnson.
In 2010 you watched Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin fight valiantly to dethrone Johnson right down to the final race of the year.
Now Johnson is a sitting duck more than ever with his five big, shimmering trophies, a reward coveted by any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver who can potentially contend for the title.
What that will mean is more aggressive driving around Johnson. He is a target for the drivers in NASCAR 's top-tier of racing to aim for even if it is just by amping up their program enough to race him clean and beat him.
The bar is raised for everyone by Johnson, and more competitive racing leads to more action and a better show for the fans.
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No.4 The New Jimmie Johnson
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The description most tossed about regarding the persona of NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Jimmie Johnson is vanilla.
We have seen the clean cut driver of the Lowe's No. 48 morph into the bearded, casual guy with his lengthy locks of hair blowing in the breeze.
Despite Johnson becoming a new dad and being loving and gentle with his little daughter during so many photo opportunities both pre-race and post-race, we may be witnessing the emergence of a new Johnson.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver exudes confidence, and he has every right to. It is time he let his "bad ass" attitude spring forth to back up his comments that urge his competitors to bring it on.
If Johnson could adopt the swagger and attitude much like the late, great Dale Earnhardt and show a bit more daring action on track, it would not only inflate his fan base but ignite a more enthusiastic attitude about watching NASCAR races.
If his his new look is any indication, maybe we will see a tougher Johnson in 2011. What has he got to lose compared to what he could bring to NASCAR?
No. 5 Pressure
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Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, are a pairing that ranks at or near the top of drivers and crew chiefs in NASCAR history. They have developed chemistry and communication unlike any team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series who are currently racing.
Knaus is driven to perfection and to having the best team. The pressure of winning a fifth consecutive title this year has forced him and his team to make mistakes. He absolutely will give his all to achieve a sixth championship in 2011.
Johnson is also driven to do whatever it takes to be a winner, but his method is somewhat passive compared to the more brazen attitude of other drivers. He doesn't overthink situations, which he has clearly stated, but just does his job and does it well when it matters under the guidance of Knaus.
The four-time champion may have had doubts during the season that the fifth title would be his. After winning it, Johnson said, "I am just beside myself. Four wins was amazing. Now I have to figure out what the hell to say about winning five of these things because everybody is going to want to know what it means. I don't know. It is pretty damn awesome, I can tell you that."
Pressure to win a sixth consecutive title will be stronger than it was to win the fifth. The winning of titles has become addictive, and with the money and fame that comes with it, why would it not be? It is this pressure that may finally break the ability of Johnson and Knaus to garner another title in 2011 and maybe for years to come.
No. 6 Motivation Factor
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Denny Hamlin could savor the taste of the NASCAR Sprint Cup title. He thought he would be the one to take down reigning champion Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin even said after winning the final race at Homestead that he would win the Championship in the next year or two.
Champions Week in Las Vegas was a somewhat somber event for Hamlin, who came so close to snatching the title from Johnson, but fuel mileage and mishaps in the final two races cost him dearly. He took the loss of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship hard.
In Las Vegas, Hamlin said, " Just every award Johnson accepts, everything you think, I should have been in that position." The "what ifs" nagged at him throughout the week, but he knew he could refocus when he returned home to concentrate on the upcoming season.
Kevin Harvick was the dark horse in the three-way chase for the title, but he too saw himself within striking distance of the series title. He knew he could finish no worse than third in the final point standings, yet disappointment from what he could have achieved had to be a hard pill to swallow.
The end result is that Hamlin and Harvick may be the most highly motivated drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series to assure Johnson fails to win another title anytime soon. It is bound to result in some action on the highlight films in 2011 and some really competitive racing against Johnson.
For the fans, it will be one more good reason to watch NASCAR racing in the coming season.
No. 7 Fans
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The fans, more than ever are searching for a hero in NASCAR. For the most part, they have become tired of hearing about Jimmie Johnson and the five consecutive titles, no matter how significant his accomplishments are.
Though history has been made and we were allowed to witness what will be referred to as greatness as the years pass, we want to get on with a new season, see new winners, comebacks from those who have gone winless far too long and a new series champion.
With the bar being set higher by the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports, we shall see other teams step up their programs to try and match them. Even Rick Hendrick recognized it was time to shake up his own teams and hopefully get Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin in position to be in the Chase and contend for the series title in 2011.
The 2010 season gave us more action than had been seen in a while especially with the competitive Chase that we saw. In 2011, fans should see one of the most competitive seasons ever. Some drivers who are fully capable of winning have failed to do so. There are lots of hungry drivers, and we shall see them do whatever it takes to win.
Tough competition, strong teams and drivers seeking to knock out Johnson equates to some great racing for the fans.
No. 8 Controversy
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Jimmie Johnson and his winning ways have forced drivers to make more daring moves on the track. They are taking NASCAR's permission to "have at it" very seriously.
Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton were both in the Chase, but that didn't stop tempers from flaring as Gordon initiated a shoving match with Burton.
There were many incidents where bump drafting was a bit harsh and created controversial racing incidents. Drivers made unflattering remarks about their competition, and Joey Logano took it far enough to include Kevin Harvick's wife, Delana.
Pressure to win especially among certain drivers is bound to create more incidents that create controversy, penalties and confrontations. All of the action we can expect in the upcoming season is good for the sport of NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson may be the driving force for much of it.
No. 9 Inspiration to Young Drivers
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When Jimmie Johnson was very young, he rode dirt bikes in California and won. He said earlier in the season during an interview, "I looked at someone that dominated a sport and wanted to be like that person."
Now, after winning his five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships, Johnson has become an inspiration to young drivers such as those in NASCAR's K & N series.
Short track racers all over the country look at Johnson and wonder if some day they can make it in NASCAR 's top-tier of racing and just maybe win a championship.
Whether you are a fan of Johnson or not, you have to give him credit for his accomplishments, his clean driving style and personal ethics that inspire young drivers in other series. That is a very good thing.
No. 10 Proof
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There are those who feel the Chase should never have been implemented by NASCAR in 2004. Many feel the best driver is the one who does what it takes to finish the highest in the point standings after 36 races.
This year Kevin Harvick was the best driver and leader in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings going into the 10-week Chase. Jimmie Johnson was not the best driver during the season, but all the stars aligned for him in the 10-week playoff that he has found a way to master.
Jimmie Johnson will be recognized for greatness in the history books, but he is proof that you don't have to be the best driver during any given season. Under NASCAR's present Chase format, a driver needs to win and have good finishes for 26 weeks and then do all the right things during the last 10 weeks.
Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, have found a way to blend the right ingredients much like a gourmet dish, and they serve it up at just the right time when everything is on the line. This year, had Denny Hamlin not faltered in the final two races, Johnson would still be a four-time champion.
When years go by and people reflect on NASCAR history, the really great drivers will be those who won multiple championships during full seasons when there was no such thing as a Chase. Drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr., Richard Petty, David Pearson and many others will be the true greats of racing. That is a very good thing.
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