NASCAR Sprint Cup: Will Dover Prove Jimmie Johnson and Company Are Unraveling?

Winning five consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles began to look pretty easy for Jimmie Johnson, but the game changed in 2011 with the new point system that could well rock the Lowe's 48 team.

Johnson has only won one race this year, and that was because his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., pushed the champion to a win in the two-car tandem on the high banks of Talladega.

Johnson is currently ranked 10th in the point standings, 29 markers behind the leader. The third Chase race at Dover could well be a game-changer this weekend.

The driver of the No. 48 Chevy has performed well at the "Monster Mile," where he has six wins, along with eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. His average finish at the track in Dover is 9.6.

The relationship between Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, seems to have turned into an episode of the "Bickersons," as they swap verbal pot shots at one another over the in-car radio.

The race at New Hampshire showcased the kinds of remarks that seem to have become the norm at many races.

When Knaus asked for more from his driver, Johnson responded, "Dude, your cheerleading is terrible. I'm going to drive my ass off. Don't sweat it, just watch."

Knaus continued trying to fire his driver up by saying, "Prove it baby, come on."

An annoyed Johnson responded, "You're actually annoying, instead of helping. Just let me go out and do my thing."

Johnson seems to be using more expletives during radio communications, which sound like a driver under pressure rather than one confident of not only his performance, but also his team.

Fans often complained that it was boring to watch Johnson run up front throughout many races, bring home a car that looked like it was fresh from the shop, then win the title at season end. 

Races this year have found Johnson spinning his car and taking NASCAR up on the "have at it" behavior when he mixes it up with other drivers like he did with Kyle Busch at New Hampshire.

The vanilla Johnson who has mastered five consecutive championship runs is becoming much less vanilla as he battles for position, excluding start and parks, just like the other 42 drivers in the race.

Johnson claims head games by drivers like Kurt Busch don't rattle him, but it does seem like his buttons are being pushed.

The reigning champ may have some feelings of entitlement on the track, but to fellow drivers his titles don't mean much in the heat of competition.

The Chase can cause sudden, dramatic turns in the points under the new system. The tricky Dover track is many things, all of which can effect the status of drivers contending for the title this year.

Those who get a handle on the fast, concrete track and make it to the front obviously have a better chance of snatching a win, but danger lurks everywhere on the monstrous track that can reach out and ruin a driver's day in a heartbeat.

Johnson could well start his comeback in the Chase at Dover. He knows that he has to win or finish no worse than third in the AAA 400. The Hendrick team seems to thrive on adversity during the playoffs.

Continued problems with team mistakes, driver error and a car that is just not fast enough may deal a points blow that slips him to the basement in the points, making a recovery difficult.

Johnson's chance at a sixth title in the elite NASCAR series is not out of the question, but the Hendrick driver and his team are in for the toughest battle they have ever faced.

Dover may well be the best track for Johnson and company to resume their championship form, if indeed they are able to seriously contend for the sixth title.

Eight races remain before a champion is crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway, so predictions are of little value at this point.

If the Lowe's team is unraveling, we may well know at Dover, or certainly by the conclusion of the race at Charlotte.