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No ‘points racing’ for Johnson
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - If Jimmie Johnson wins the Nextel Cup championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, nobody can accuse him of not having earned it.
Every NASCAR driver wants to win, but when the Nextel Cup Series title is on the line, it is not uncommon for a team go “point racing,” when a driver takes fewer risks to make sure he does not jeopardize position in the standings, especially in a close race.
But not Johnson.
By winning the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway — his fourth consecutive win — Johnson is riding the longest hot streak NASCAR has seen in years. And it could not have come at a better time for the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy.
The impressive part is Johnson’s timing. At a point where most drivers would be conservative, Johnson has never been more aggressive. Instead of driving conservatively and finishing in the top-10, Johnson pushes his car to the limit, despite having a comfortable, 86-point lead over teammate and friend, Jeff Gordon.
“I need every point. There’s no telling how things are going to go in Homestead,” Johnson said referring to this Sunday’s Ford 400. “I know how good Jeff Gordon is, and how good his team is. If we put our guard down and don’t try to score maximum points every week, we’re going to get beat.”
For as good as Johnson thinks Gordon is, that is how everyone else views Johnson during his dominant season.
“They’re just unbelievably good. They’re as good as any group I’ve seen,” Matt Kenseth said. “They’re so good. I don’t know how you put yourself in position to win like that every week.”
The last driver to win four straight races, ironically, was Gordon in 1998. Gordon won his second consecutive Cup title that year, so it’s natural to draw comparisons, even if Johnson said its inappropriate.
“I don’t want to be called the next Jeff Gordon,” Johnson said. “I’ve always done it my way. You talk to him, you look at our driving styles and anything we do, we’re on opposite ends.”
Though many drivers would want to be compared with Gordon, who is one of NASCAR’s most popular and richest drivers, we need to keep Johnson’s history-making season in perspective.
“No one’s won five in a row?” Johnson joked after the race. “Let’s try to get that.”
All Johnson has to do is finish 18th or better this weekend at Homestead to lock up his second consecutive championship. He may not win his fifth in a row, but one thing is certain when the green flags drops at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Johnson won’t be out there points racing.
Get up to speed on the latest in NASCAR - listen to Wilson’s Race Report every weeknight at 8:25 on 93.1 WPOC.
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:09 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008 re: "Gibbs’ greatness extends from Lombardi Trophy to checkered flag"
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5:53 AM MST on Tue., Jun. 10, 2008
re: "Dover provides unique experience for drivers, fans"
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9:31 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008
re: "Bring some excitement back to qualifying"
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8:59 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008
re: "Bring some excitement back to qualifying"
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6:06 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008
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5:26 PM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008
re: "Stewart hoping Goodyear can reinvent the tire"
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2:32 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008
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3:12 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 3, 2008
re: "Montoya's NASCAR win is impressive"
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7:38 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 22, 2007
re: "NASCAR puts focus on wins and comes out victorious"
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7:55 AM MST on Wed., Sep. 5, 2007
re: "Gibbs gambles big, but Toyota is winner"
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9:15 AM MST on Thu., Jul. 19, 2007
re: "Stewart adds personality to the drab world of NASCAR"
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9:42 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007
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9:23 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007
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2:42 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 5, 2007
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10:42 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "Big teams are beginning to make NASCAR smaller"
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9:23 PM MST on Fri., May. 4, 2007
re: "Time for Dale Jr. to move on?"
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5:41 PM MST on Thu., May. 3, 2007
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11:59 PM MST on Tue., May. 1, 2007
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Examiner Reader said:
All Gibbs is doing is cheating with toyota's money
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
jeremiah said:
i think dodge will pickup a little bit and start competing, i mean really. kyle busch is all toyota's got
5 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
For those teams that are in the top 35, if they incure a rules violation in a pre-qualifying inspection, they should NOT be allow to qualify as they normally do, they should qualify with the teams that are not in the top 35. If they then fail to qualify, then they don't make the race.
7 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"Bring some excitement back to qualifying" ------- Hi, You are very WRONG about the TOP 35 Rule! With the teams having to try and stay in the TOP 35 Rule, they have to RACE harder on Sundays to do so. If not for the TOP 35 Rule, once they were in the race, they could just cruse around on Sunday and it wouldn't matter where they finished, with the TOP 35 Rule, it makes them have to RACE harder and the race is more important to fans than qualifying!!!
9 agree | 11 disagree
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Paul said:
Hey, I dislike the top 35 rule as much as anyone. I still think the fastest 43 should get in and if Junior, Johnson, anyone named Gordon or Petty is not up to speed and somebody with a one-off deal gets in, then good for them. The so-called experts disagree with me, but let a top shoe miss a race or two and see how quickly they get better.
11 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hey igorant reader at 2:32 I would like to see you try it sometime bet you will not last 100 laps
11 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
driving a car is a sport? these guys get too much press and are impressed with themselves.
8 agree | 11 disagree
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Race Fan said:
I don't believe that the best driver on the planet is driving for NASCAR. This is a waste. Please come back to the real racing sport. We will always wait for Juan Pablo Montoya.
38 agree | 41 disagree
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newman rocks said:
newman is a nice guy and never blames any1 else newman NEVER complains like jeff gordon OR tony stewart i think jeff gordon and tony stewart are some of the best drivers at present and that ever drove in nascar i just do not like them at all
147 agree | 136 disagree
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Kyle Busch said:
Take that all you non toyota lover- some of your biggest chevy driver are coming here to toyota, non surprising of Penske Racing South join toyota in 2009...or if Honda and Nissan Join Nascar and soon it will be the american Big 3 ( GM, Ford,DaimlerChysler) Vs The Japanes Big 3 (Toyota,Honda,Nissan)
151 agree | 161 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Tony is the closest thing we've got to the old school drivers. Praise God for his personality. NASCAR has become a muddled P.C. sport as much as it needs to. He is breath of fresh air to me each race weekend. Even when he takes out his teamate and half the most popular drivers- he blames them. LOL!! It reminds me of watching the sport in the late 70's and early 80's. AWESOME. LOVE TONY STEWART!!!!
184 agree | 162 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Stewart is so fun to watch! He is fearless when it comes to saying whats on his mind. He doesn't say the predictable pre programmed garbage the other drivers vomit each week. Stewart is wild! Whenever the camera goes on him I run to the television because he is so unpredictable. No matter what anyone says about him, he brings fun to the NASCAR circuit. Without him I would not watch NASCAR each week. I could go on about his enormous talent but I think his INDY CAR, WINTON CUP, NEXTEL CUP championships, to only mention a few, tells the tale. Stewart is an asset to NASCAR. Without him NASCAR would be a snoozefest. Keep talking Smoke! Tell it like it is!
164 agree | 154 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You rock Stewart!
217 agree | 182 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
loa noyd is my mom and now i feel good that my whole family's famous! im her son jeremiah and i dont really like rusty wallace or kurt busch but newman is my favorite driver!
190 agree | 182 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
limit teams to two per owner. That would allow more teams to compete on an even basis and have more not less people become involved in the racertainment. Pretty soon this will look like Indy. Every car on the grid is of the same make.
164 agree | 189 disagree
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mike steele said:
would love to see the number 3 back on the track thats where the money is jr it would be so good for nascar and the fans
235 agree | 202 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Jr. needs to leave DEI. Teresa has become money/power hungry and lost sight of the dream Sr. had. Perhaps she'll put on her big girl panties and accept she's history when Dale SR.'s empire crumbles around her. Go Jr. Go!! Let her greed hang her and don't look back. RCR was good to your Dad and will help you achieve the championship Teresa doesn't want you to have. BeBo -NC
217 agree | 242 disagree
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shanter said:
i think jr should leave dei, but not drive the number 3 car. there is already so many unrealistic expectation's on his shoulders already. driving the number 3 car would just make it worst. leave dei, get another number BESIDES number 3 and try to do better. his fans arent going anywhere.
249 agree | 215 disagree
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benny taylor said:
dale jr., leave the company now and go drive your dad's no. 3 he won 7 championships, and they have the horsepower and he would be like your second dad and i promise get you back in victory lane...
228 agree | 215 disagree
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