As we near the end of the season, and what some are already predicting could be a fourth straight championship for Jimmie Johnson, it seems the negative feelings toward driver 48 are growing. Some have even hinted that Johnson’s dominance is to blame for the decline in ratings and attendance recently. The argument is that when one team dominates, it makes the races less interesting to watch. But instead of blaming Johnson and his team for being too good, why aren’t you blaming your favorite driver and team for not being good enough?
I agree that it can suck when one team seems to win everything. But when my favorite college football team isn’t doing well while another is, that doesn’t make me watch less football. The same can be said about my other favorite teams. I’m still going to tune in each week, go to games when I can, and support my team. I don’t understand why the same can’t be said about racing.
We’ve been asked before by fans what exactly the 48 team does differently then everyone else. I think we may even have at least one of those for tomorrow’s “Ask The Insiders Wednesday.” The answer is, that I have no idea. If I did, I’d probably be a rich man. Whatever it is though, it’s working, and you can’t blame Chad Knaus and his guys for doing it right. And instead of getting angry and calling Knaus a cheater, why can’t we take a step back and realize how amazing this run has been? What if Johnson really is that good?
And while we are on the subject of Chad Knaus, how come we hear so often that people want NASCAR to give the teams more freedom in being creative with the cars, yet you get angry when somebody like Knaus pushes the envelope? It is the responsiblity of these teams to push the tolerances to the limit, because that is what it’s going to take to be successful in this age of NASCAR. Like they saying goes, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
You are going to call me a NASCAR homer for saying this, but I don’t care, I’m going to say it anyway. NASCAR is not playing favorites with the 48. As many are starting to get turned off by it, it doesn’t suit NASCAR’s interests to give them some sort of advantage over everyone else. They would be better suited to give Mark Martin or Juan Pablo Montoya the edge, because those would be bigger stories. The black helicopters have been winterized and stored away for the season.
I will agree that some of the debris cautions can be very suspicious, but if NASCAR is really throwing them to affect the race, they are trying to close the fields up for better racing; not to benefit one driver or another. Even Johnson has been the victim of these cautions.
With the Cup Series headed to Martinsville this weekend (one of Johnson’s best tracks) it would appear that his hold on the points lead could grow even further. But as quickly as Johnson has moved to the top, he could just as easily fall. I would caution you in writing off guys like Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, and maybe even a resurgence from JPM. The season is far from over, and if a points lead after five races meant you’d win the championship, the year would be over. But it’s not. We’ve still got five more races to go. Anything can happen. Don’t forget that races are played out on the track, not in statistics or on paper. And ease up off the venom for Jimmie.
Now it’s your turn. Are you becoming turned off by Johnson’ dominance? How come? Do you think one team dominating hurts the sport? Would you feel the same way if it was your favorite driver who was kicking ass? What if it were somebody like Kyle Busch dominating? The floor belongs to you, don’t forget to play nice!
Related posts:
- Jimmie Johnson Wins the Championship…Oh Wait the Season Isn’t Over
- Jimmie Johnson Back? Ha! He Never Left!
- Does Anyone Care Jimmie Won?
- Is Jimmie The Driver You Love To Hate?
- Cool It With The Jimmie Conspiracies
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on Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
The big problem is that at least 50% of the drivers have no realistic chance of winning any given race. Whatever the cause for that, it doesn’t make for compelling sports. Even the Washington Nationals win 50 games a year.
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
It seems that this is all anyone wants to talk about the last few days, but I guess it’s understandable, given the fact that Jimmie and Chad have Cup #4 squarely in their sights.
Sure, it’s a little boring when one team wins all the time, and Johnson’s pleasant but somewhat bland persona on and off the track only compounds the problem in attracting and keeping the more casual fan. But Johnson and Knaus are the best at what they do. This is how you run a winning team, by being smart and focused and thorough. They’ve been under constant scrutiny for weeks now, which makes it highly unlikely that they are doing anything illegal, so all of the conspiracy theorists can just give it up, it’s not true.
There are many drivers I’d rather see win, but I can appreciate what Jimmie Johnson is about to achieve. He and the 48 team are the best at what they do, and among the best of all time. Most of the fans who are booing now will be telling their grandchildren someday that they saw the great Jimmie Johnson in his prime. And for those who can’t get past their dislike for Johnson, well, this run won’t last forever. This sport continues to grow and to change, and soon there will be a new crop of gifted young drivers to replace Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, Earnhardt, and all the rest of the current stars. Remember, ten years ago most of us were complaining about Jeff Gordon winning too much, and how his success was bad for NASCAR. Well, we survived that era, and we’ll survive the Johnson era, too.
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I’m a JJ fan. I don’t think his dominance is a bad thing for racing. I think it is a good thing. It is drawing attention to the sport. The same Lance Armstrong did to bike racing, Tiger Woods to Golf, Michal Jordan to basketball, etc. Why did all these people who dominated their sport help their sport, but supposedly JJ is hurting his? Sounds more like jealousy that their driver is not dominating the sport.
If Dale Earnhardt had the same streak, people would not be crying foul. They would be talking about how great a driver he is, and how he deserves it. I’ll bet if JR was having this streak everyone would be talking about how great it was for the sport!!
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I am quite sure that NASCAR goes over Johnson’s winning race cars with a fine toothed comb. I am also quite sure that Johnson’s team is top notch when it comes to preparing a race car…Martin drives that equipment also and does so, very well.
Johnson is good for the sport…Tony Stewart has dominated in the past and his “Catch me if you can” attitude is well received. Johnson is no different, he jumps out there and drives like a madman.
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I don’t think one team dominating hurts the sport..What I do question though is the Johnson haters.They say he is boring and he doesn’t deserve to win..Since Nascar changed the cars and the amount that the teams can play with them it makes them almost equal ..You have to look at Jimmie and Chad as something special.to win like they do is an awesome feat!! Yes.I’m a Jimmie fan and have been since his rookie year..IMO all this complaining about Jimmie is because they need something to complain about..Look at the way Kyle Busch won last year..I heard over and over how Nascar was giving them an edge!!! People like to complain just to complain..next we will be hearing how Jr has inferior equipment and he needs to take Jimmie’s car and crew chief.but I guess we all cannot make it without drama….
on Oct 19th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
TC, Great topic. The JR fans and everybody else hate Jimmy and Chad, just because they are doing it better than everybody else. Most of todays NASCAR fans have only heard about The Kings wins and all 7 of his Championships, they have only heard about Cale’s non stop winning back in the 70′s. They have only heard the name Tim Richmond. These are all great drivers of their time. Look who brought JJ into the sport, a driver of his own time. The JJ time is here and all we can do is live with it. The next great driver may be racing today and he / she may be winning tommorow. This type is thing is called sports, from football to baseball to auto racing. JJ may or may not win his 4th, don’t give it to him yet.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I’m not turned off by JJ’s dominance so much as I am turned off by any other team not being able to catch him and mix it up “door handle to door handle”, as the old racing adage goes.
I’m not a JJ fan, I didn’t care for him the first time I heard of him… but the proof is in the pudding, his records speaks for itself. He is one of the all time greats with multiple Daytona 500 wins, super speedway and short track wins, 3 championships in a row in this age of competition? I mean c’mon, the guy deserves the recognition & he has my respect(though not my t-shirt money, HAH!). The 48 team is the team to beat, even Denny Hamlin said it earlier this year, something to the effect of: “I don’t feel like it’s a win if they are not on the track.”
It’s like Waltrip and Hammond with Junior Johnson back in the early to mid 80′s… they were always tough, always there. The Richard Petty and his cousin Dale(I think) in the 70′s… The Wood brothers and David Pearson, tho’ they didn’t always run full schedules then. If ya go all the way back to the beginning there was Red Vogt the Mechanic and Red Byron the driver with Raymond Parks, the original multiple car owner. Every decade has that match up of driver, crew chief, owner and money(sponsor). The difference now is JJ and Knaus know this and they aren’t necessarily looking for more cash right now, they know if they keep winning, the cash will come.
Everyone else in the garage needs to take their man pill and go pass JJ. Cuz the only way to pass him now, is to beat him at the line.
That’s racin’.
My .02 cents.
-W
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I go way back following NASCAR, way back into the late fifties and sixties, back when Richard Petty was so dominant. I remember the ’67 season when he won 10 in a row and 27 out of 48 races. I remember when it became the responsibility of the remainder of the field to “Beat Petty”. I say this because it didn’t seem to hurt NASCAR for Richard Petty to be so dominant; it just made everyone else work harder. Petty had the secret to success back then, and every else wanted it. Those times passed and so will the “Johnson Era”. Time waits for no one and there is someone else waiting in the wings to captain the ship.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I think the ‘chase’ format is hurting Nascar as much as anything. JJ and Chad Knaus have put together a truly amazing team, and their success is phenomenal…and earned. As much as the media is hyping his chance at ’4 in a row’, I believe that many fans (me included) don’t feel it’s exactly legitimate. The 10 race format that artificially closes up the top 12 in points, and has a majority of 1 1/2 mile tracks just doesn’t cut it. Winning a 10 race ‘playoff’ 4 times in a row isn’t the same as surviving a full season in front of the pack. I also wonder if most fans are as concerned with who wins the title as they are with each individual race. When the entire focus of the last races is on the ‘chasers’ rather than the entire field, you are bound to lose the fans of those drivers who disappear from coverage. Just saying.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Its not the #48 winning as much as having it force fed down my throat after the first lap of a race or the first win by that team that they are unbeatable blah blah. Why cant the NASCAR media report facts not start handing out trophies to a team before a race is over. I am sick of having JJ and Chad treated like racing Gods( they are good yes but not gods) how Mark Martin is deserving of a Championship just because hes done it so long and came in 2nd so many times. How Jr is so great and should have so many wins and that I should want this to happen. If I hear how ALL NASCAR fans would love it if MArk Martin wins the title or how PROUD ALL fans would be if JJ wins #4 in a row I am driving to ESPN to punch someone. DONT preach to me who to be happy for and who to cheer for. I think many fans are sick of having it crammed down our throats. YEAH the 48 is winning now and good for them report that and move on stop handing them a trophy before the first caution of a race.Im sorry its just not all that compelling to me and many I know to hear how dominating the 48 is or how the world will stop revoloving if Mark Martin wins because he so deserves it. My favorite driver is Tony Stewart THAT is who I wan to win and who I will cheer for. IF Tony, Juan Pablo, Denny, Kasey,Ryan or anyone but JJ or MM win I will cheer.Listening to ESPN’s coverage is like having one person to vote for in an election they are trying to force the excitement instead of letting it come naturally an lettign the real drama of racing happen.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 6:53 am
I’ve been turned off by Jimmie since he came into Nascar, so his winning hasn’t changed my mind. Just more of the same. And yes, his winning all the time is hurting Nascar. I even turned the TV off about midway of the race. It’s just so boring now, I’d rather watch foootball or golf or paint dry.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Your football analogy does not fit. If one team is head and shoulders above ther rest you only have to face that team once or twice a season. Fans of other drivers have to face the 48 every week.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 7:23 am
I don’t have any problems with JJ…I have a problem with “the Chase”. I hope when JJ’s stats go in the history books there is an side note. As fans we are just supposed to “accept” the Chase..as Tony Stewart keeps saying “we all know what it is when we start the season..it is what it is”….I can understand it from a drivers point..they have to play by NASCAR’s rules. But despite the media and NASCAR trying to “shove it down our throats” that the Chase is great..alot of us don’t like it and can’t understand how to win the championship you only have to be the best of 12..and then “gun it” the last ten races. Maybe this is old school..but old school is what made NASCAR so great. So..yes JJ and CK are the best at 10 races..but until he can be the best at 36 races…I will have to hold my applause.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I did not like JJ when he was in the Busch series, I don’t like him now. The biggest problem I have though is with the media. I am tired of ALL the Nascar news I hear being about JJ.
I can’t say if the dominance JJ and Chad are showing is bad for the entire sport, it’s bad for me though. As a Robby Gordon fan I accept he will likely never win another race but I’d like to see someone else win once in awhile. I just plain don’t like JJ or Chad. Never have never will. I won’t even shop at Lowe’s………
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I’ve said this for some time, but the fact of the matter is that JJ and a few other selected few are the only ones that can push the COT to its limits and live to see another race. The other guys are inches away, but in racing this is an eternity. NASCAR has, in my opinion, made the COT too difficult to drive in traffic and provide good side-by-side competition in most instances. I find myself becoming less interested in Cup racing as a result of these developements.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Throw JJ in a RPM car and throw Kasey in a Hendricks car then see who wins LMAO…….wow just kidding, JJ is godly there is no denying it. I think it is cool to see a legend in the making but yeah I do get jealous and wish the 9 car would run that well.
lol you would think I would be a JJ fan… he donates all this money to San Diego, which is were I live.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 10:06 am
For those that don’t care for JJ because he is perceived as “bland”….stop and think about it for a minute. Don’t you suppose that is one of the key elements in the #48 team’s success? Save the highs and lows for after the race and get the job done during the race. The impressive part is that it’s not just JJ and CK, but a whole team clicking on all cylinders.
Food 4 thought. Newsflash…In 25 of the 31 races in 2009, the #48 did “not” win. So I ask, were those 25 races exciting because #48 did not win? #48 has won 6x in 2009 w/ 3 in the first 5 chase races. I’m confused! Is it less exciting when #48 wins or does not. IMHO seems simple enough. #48 has their act together like a well run business. Chase or no Chase….the 48 shop sets the bar.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 10:22 am
The people who hate Jimmie have all kinds of excuses, none of which holds up. They say he is too blah, lacking in personality. Compared with whom? Does Jeff Gordon or Kasey Kahne or Mark Martin or JPM or Kyle Busch or Matt Kenseth or Tony Stewart have a sparkling personality? Not hardly. They say he has a great crew chief and great equipment. True, but so has every other champion – nobody does it alone, even someone named Earnhardt. And there is the REAL issue. The fans of Dale Sr. and Junior Nation will simply not accept this guy who is about to threaten the records of Senior and who is light years ahead of Junior in his accomplishments even though Junior works for the same owner and has access to the same advantages that JJ and Jeff and Mark and even Tony and Ryan have with Hendrick – and all of them are in the Chase, while Junior can barely finish a race, much less win one. NASCAR fans have tunnel vision – they only see one driver and one name and will trash anybody else who comes along and does better than an Earnhardt.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I think the problem is “The Chase” rather than JJ. While the 10-race chase is exciting in and of itself, I’d rather the champion was based on a full season of racing. If we did that, Tony Stewart is your leader right now. Here are the Real points standings:
1). #14-Tony Stewart, 4544
#39-Ryan Newman, 3907, -637
2). #48-Jimmie Johnson, 4427, -117
3). #24-Jeff Gordon 4405, -139
4). #5-Mark Martin, 4084, -460
5). #2-Kurt Busch, 4058, -486
6). #11-Denny Hamlin, 4022, -522
7). #42-Juan Montoya, 3979, -565
9). #16-Greg Biffle, 3904, -640
10). #99-Carl Edwards, 3862, -682
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I don’t like or dislike JJ. I have other drivers that I like. If there are 2 teams in the baseball or footballs playoffs and none of the teams are my teams then I probably won’t watch. Nascar is not any different. My drivers are out of it and I’m not going to a race or watching the race. I DVR it, just in case. I follow it on Twitter. Many of the reporters covering Nascar are tweeting when they suspect a show caution is coming out and then it does. (You may want to consider just how much the major Nascar reporters tweeting “Show Caution Time” is affecting fans. It’s demoralizing because what I considered a sport now appears to be more of a show.) Many or most have already tweeted JJ is going to win the chase. The 48 team won Practice 1, Practice 2, Practice 3, Qualifying and the Charlotte race. The other teams aren’t even close to being able to accomplish that. I give more credit to Chad for Jimmie winning than I give Jimmie.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 11:21 am
If Jimmie can doit,More Power to Him!!Get 4 and go for 5.Winning,That’s what he is paid to do.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Several others have hit on the real point of declining ratings – the chase itself and the media focus on just the drivers in the chase. The rest of the teams might as well not be there. We still care about the drivers we root for even if they are not chasers, and TV does not even mention them once the chase starts. Add that to the incredibly BORING TV coverage and fans are leaving in droves.
If you want to see what really good TV race commentary sounds like, watch the last F! race on Speed in two weeks. The championship was decided this weekend, but I guarantee that Varsha, Hobbs, Machet, and Windsor will make it an exciting and interesting event.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 11:48 am
It began for me early in the careers of JJ/CK. They started getting caught for cheating and were barely slapped on the wrist back then. The first two “championships” were greatly marred by incidents of cheating and when the cars of JJ and KB were running away from the others with the shock deal that time and nothing was done that cut it for me.
I feel the first two championships were badly tainted. Last year might be real and so might this year. But I just don’t think I can ever give Johnson the credit of Petty or Allison or Pearson.
Yes, they had to do it but they stunk out with no integrity early and that taint has never gone away.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Other than the things already said, the best reason I know of for the team 48′s success is that they do not beat themselves. Look at this past race. They didn’t run into people on restarts, dont over-rev the engine on restarts, dont miss gearshifts, dont leave lug nuts loose, etc.
They DO communicate well between driver and crew chief. If you listen to them talk, they are on the same page with each other. And if they are not, then they work to get on that same page, rather than go off and do or say whatever they feel like. They also bring their car to the track already set up better than their competitors. Just watch how the RF of the splitter will be grinding away on some other cars, while the 48′s will barely touch the track. When the body of the car is not hitting the track, the driver has a more predictable handling for the whole race.
It may be boring to watch them execute the little things every week, but that is how these things get won.
I went to this past race. It was my 1st Nascar race and was very impressive. One immediate observation was that the Hendrick engine sound like they are right out of an Indy car. That explains why the cars with those engines have done so well.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
TC- I am one of those people that are truly puzzled that none of the other A level teams can figure out what the 48 team has. Are they cheating?? Maybe..but until that’s proven, let’s assume they aren’t. I do not believe in the conspiracy theories. NASCAR can’t possibly be happy with one team so dominant. Years ago, it was almost like a cult following…you watched no matter who was winning. It was racing. No we have the media, Rusty, Digger, silly interviews, stupid questions and boring racing. People are finding other things to do. The 48 team is really not the problem. I think most people(especially now)like to see the under dog win. There is a recession going on, and the little guy is getting hurt…nobody is bailing him out. The 48 dominance is another reminder that big money buys everything. I do hope there is an upset in the final 5 races. It would really boost the moral of a lot of racing fans.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I still say JJ and Chad are cheating and NASCAR is turning a blind eye to them. Theres no way he can have that much horsepower on restarts and just leave the hole field by 5 car lengths by turn one. As the saying go’s. “ONCE A CHEATER ALWAYS A CHEATER”
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I think they should change the chase races every year. This would help suffle the deck because setups would be thrown off, and planning would need a much bigger note book. How many times has Chad said…these chase races are made for us ? I have heard him and JJ say it a zillion times. These are their best tracks.I’m not so much aiming for the addition of road tracks as this is supposed to be a little like “stock car” racing. I think the road courses are just adding more “Dagas” in the mix. But they could change things up a little. Why not invert the field for all the chase races ? line em up by owners points reversed….. just saying.
One thing for sure, die hard fans will always watch, but if JJ just keeps this up next year and the year after, we are gonna loose a LOT of newbie fans
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
It’s not so much Jimmie Johnson that’s turning me off, it’s the superteam dominance and the Chase that are turning me off.
Unless you’re driving for Hendrick (6 cars including SHS), Rousch (7 cars including Yates and HoF racing) or JGR (3 cars), you really don’t have much of a chance on any given week.
It was nice to see RPM and EGR get some wins but realistically, you need to be with one of those superteams to win. That’s a real turnoff for me, because you know that the small teams have little chance of winning (it’s like watching NNWS racing, you know the winner is going to be a NSC driver, so what’s the point?).
Add in the Chase where, it seems, only 12 drivers are covered, and it makes for pretty boring TV.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I’m not a JJ fan, but I have to hand it to him and Chad – they have already done something that my favorite drivers (the King and Ironhead) never could, that is to win 3 in a row. I feel I am watching history and I think it is fair to assume that JJ would likely still be at or very,very near the front if the championship rules were the old rules. They are just good, and are gearing themselves to what the rules are.
As I recall, the NASCAR world was on the verge of ending several years ago when Jeff G and Ray were winning so many races and championships – but it didn’t.
Nevertheless, I have a hard time putting JJ or Jeff in the same class with Richard Petty, the Silver Fox, or Ironhead, but I guess they are proving me wrong where it counts, on the track.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
To be honest I’m wondering if Jeff Gordon has any regrets about bringing JJ to the attention of Rick Hendrick. Don’t think JG has won a championship since Johnson’s been around. I believe JJ has won many more races than JG since they’ve been racing against each other too. As a Gordon fan I’m watching Johnson and company just totally make the 24 team look like a second class team. Man it’s hard to watch at times. Faster cars, faster pit stops and just head and shoulders above the DuPont team. Seeing Johnson out-drive Gordon Saturday night wasn’t pleasant either. Yeah it’s hard to watch. Can’t take it away from JJ,CK,and the 48 team, they’re on another level right now. If everything stays the same 7+ “Championships” is not out of the question. Look out Petty and Earnhardt. The only thing that might stop it is if Johnson and Knaus split, as in Gordon/ Evernham. Think next year will be “The Drive for Five” but, for Johnson not Gordon.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I am surprised to learn that only Chad Knaus ever got fined for creative work done to a race car. Amazingly absolutely no other crew chief in the history of NASCAR ever received a fine or forced vacation from the track. Just why were Eury Jr., Robbie Reiser, Bob Osborne, Steve Letarte and others under orders not to come to the races in 2007 or 2008? Couldn’t have been because they were caught cheating, that only happens to Chad Knaus. Even Richard Petty says his crew chief and team cheated. Knaus’s cheating must be put in context with other crew chiefs. Junior Johnson will be in the initial class of the Hall of Fame. Smokey Yunick will be inducted within the next few years. Both men were noted for cheating. The hatred toward Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus for cheating is ludicrous unless all cheaters are condemned along with them.
on Oct 20th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Glen- Don’t forget EGR and RCR both get their engines from ECR. Is that enough three letter acronyms?
Jeff- What reason does NASCAR have for allowing this team to get away with cheating? So what you’re saying is that everyone in the garage is a cheater because they’ve been caught (and they’ve all been caught at one point or another).
on Oct 21st, 2009 at 10:01 am
the fact is that the 48 team has been penalized many times for cheating or “infractions detriment to stock car racing”. Once a cheater always a cheater. How many times has he not gotten caught at cheating. If he were to stop cheating or “pushing the limits of the rules” would he continue to dominate? No. Would he be competitive? Yes. He is a great driver, he has a great team and crew chief, but it is sad that they feel like they need to “be creative” or “push limits” or “cheat” in order to win. Not a winner in my book.
on Oct 21st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
shooooot…cheatin is racing ! Come on, ya got no sense of history. These guys been cheatin since they rolled down the beach. The whole darn thing has been guys trying to figger out how to beat each other and bend whatever rules were thrown at them. 50 years ago, truck tires was winning races at rough tracks, nobody knew, was that cheatin? Sure it was. Nothing wrong with cheating as long as you don’t cry like a baby when you’re caught.
on Oct 22nd, 2009 at 3:55 am
If I remember correctly didn’t Jimmie oh, I don’t know….win some races and run well in the first half of the season, I mean isn’t that how he got into the chase in the first place? I mean come on people, to say that he only does well in the chase and does nothing in the first 26 is incorrect. He’s had 2 wins before the chase even started this year. Last year he had 3 wins, 4 if you count Richmond because that’s not actually in the chase.
No I don’t think that the 48 dominance is hurting the sport. I think its the coverage, the media only talking about the chase drivers. I remember when Mears was running in the top 5 and they said nothing. The same could be said about Harvick at Fontana a few weeks back, and there could be a list of other drivers that they are running up in the top 10 or are having good runs and yet the broadcasters do not mention them. Unless they do what Matt Kenseth did at Lowes, but other then that if you’re driver is not a chase driver, you won’t hear anything about them. The COTs haven’t helped the racing either. But its better, but still not great. And there’s only so much you can do to help with the adjustments. You used to be able to change a shock on pit road with the old cars, either under green or under caution, but with the cot you have to go to garage.
As for the reporters talking about possible debris is they are probably listening to the radios and/or the officials channel where they talk about stuff like. I’ve listened to the officials channel under caution ones, they would discuss everything, and where there is some debris and what not.
Also the stat people really need to stop saying that Jimmie holds the most for this or that in the chase over the chase drivers. Its just kinda redundant to say that stuff, when he’s the only driver to make all of the chases since it came about in 2004. They need to say that little disclaimer when they say that he holds the most for this or that in the chase. I mean come on, be politically correct. And yes, that’s coming from a JJ & CK fan.
You can put a road course race into the chase. But I Johnson has gotten top 5s and top 10s at the two road courses races in the past couple of years, and he’s led some laps there. He had an issue at Sonoma and was like in the 20s at one point and came back to finish 4th.
on Oct 23rd, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I will not hide that I am a JJ fan…I have been watching NASCAR since his rookie year. I am with you LOWES&MEARSGAL, you can’t say he’s only good after the Chase. He had to make it in there in the first place. I, too, am a Miami Dolphins fan. They can go from 1-15 one year to a winning record the next…DID THEY CHEAT?? No…they just improved!
I can also say I’ve met the guy. He is SUPER NICE! Just because he doesn’t have a horrible thing to say about anyone, he’s not fighting, whining, or flicking people off, people don’t like him.
I think someone already mentioned this too…if this were Jr, NASCAR would have excellent ratings, huh? So if NASCAR is helping Jimmie “cheat”, why wouldn’t they just do it for Jr instead…he’s most popular, right?
on Oct 25th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
T.C.,
I’m not a Jimmie Johnson hater. I just don’t like him. Mind you, I mean this in the literal, dictionary definition sense: the absence of like for him. Not hatred, not dislike, not envy. Well, maybe a little envy.
I actually admire and respect him. I like, admire, and respect Chad Knaus, who I find is very funny and clever and smart in his appearances on the various shows. I especially like the way he skewers Mikey.
Today is Sunday October 25. It’s 6:30 PM, here on the Left Coast. I called my friend Matthew from work and asked him if there was good news. He said “No,” so the first thing I did when I walked through the door was delete the race from my DVR. I’ve seen this movie before. I’ve seen it many times before.
I’ll tell you this, if next season the 48 team gets off to an excellent start and the 88, 14, 42, 24, 5, teams aren’t right there with him, I’m taking a sabbatical from NASCAR. The season is tooo %$%@!* long to watch the 48 team drive to a 5th consecutive Cup. Call me when someone else is winning.
Call me any name you want, T.C. and Insiderfans. I don’t care. NASCAR needs me more than I need NASCAR. If I’m going to commit ten months of Sundays to it, I better be watching something which I couldn’t predict from the beginning of the season.
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
on Oct 25th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Kenny- Jimmie didn’t win and it was a good race (or at least I thought so). Speed replays the race on Wednesday afternoons. You should DVR it.
on Oct 25th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Journo,
I love ‘Dega but I won’t even be watching. I put myself on the board to take shifts on Sunday — which I never do. Why bother? Unless the 42 totals the 48 on the first lap — which i don’t want him to do, I’m not interested.
WCK
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Kenny,
Do you watch the NBA? I do remember a time when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls gained the NBA’s highest TV ratings. The ratings didn’t slump for the NBA until the Lockout and Jordan’s retirement. Would you agree the NBA has quite a long season? So what’s the difference? The Bulls won quite a few titles during Jordan’s stint.
Are NASCAR fans just different? I may be a Johnson/Knaus fan, but I believe ANY athelete should strive for perfection. Team 48 just has it figured out. Don’t blame them, blame the rest of the teams out there…I wouldn’t say Martin, Stewart, or Gordan’s teams are far off that mark, though.
May I ask, who is your favorite driver/team and why do you not like…”in the literal sense”…Johnson?
on Oct 26th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
JJ_48_Fan,
Thanks very much for asking. I started out a Junior fan. I still am, despite his problems. In fact, seeing him in anguish makes me like him better. I relate to his problems, although I am not the son of a giant in sports.
About three years ago, Mark Martin became my second-favorite. He still is. He and I are both friends of Bill W. Tony Stewart is now my third-favorite. If Danica came to NASCAR, she’d probably jump to 4th or pass Smoke… I like her a lot, and not just because she’s easy on the eyes. She’s got a fiery personality and is very interesting.
No one is going to catch your guy. Mind you, he and Knaus deserve their success. I don’t begrudge them. They’ve earned it!
I don’t want your guy to end up in the fence, and I salute him, but I don’t have to watch him, and no amount of cajoling or rational conversation is going to convince me to change my position. Growing a Don Johnson five-o’clock shadow does not make JJ interesting to me. To me he looks and sounds too robotic. (You can try to convince me he’s not, but it’s a waste of effort. No sale here.)By the way, no one should try either. Who gives a hoot what I think?
Yes, any athlete should strive for perfection. I’m a Tiger Woods fan, although now I prefer Lefty (Phil Michelson) more. I am fascinated by Woods, though. What is great about him and what makes him so interesting is he’s not perfect. When he hits a bad shot, his recovery shot is SO good. (I also like the new kid with the sweet swing, Rory McIlroy.)
I grew up a Celtics fan. I was a Jordan fan but not a Bulls fan. I liked watching Jordan but I was much more a fan of the Celtics. I also liked Magic Johnson a lot, but it was his personality more than his play which I connected with. Magic and Larry Bird enjoyed the game so much and they enjoyed the competition with each other.
Let me ask you this, JJ_48_Fan. Do you like vanilla ice cream? Would you like it every night for the rest of your life? I like vanilla a lot. But I also like mocha fudge almond swirl and mango sherbet (though not together). I also like apple pie. A steady diet of vanilla ice cream is very dull to me.
I have to admit, JJ_48_Fan, that some of my NASCAR ennui has to do my current job, which is in a retail department store. About half the time I’m working during a race. For the previous 5 seasons, I had DirecTV HotPass. I subscribed to NASCAR Scene and NASCAR Illustrated, and I bought the Press Guide and Preview. I did not miss a single race for more than 5 seasons. Now it doesn’t seem so important to me.
I’m seriously wondering if I will have the energy to commit to spend ten months next year knowing full well that it will end with the 48 winning at 5th consecutive championship. Yes, I know it’s history. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
I pulled the plug on Cup for the rest of the season. I have a few sitcom, dramatic, and non-fiction TV episodes (“Ace of Cakes,” “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” “Mythbusters,” “Monk,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Doc Martin”) waiting on my DVR, along with a few foreign movies I want to see.
I can tell you this, JJ_48_Fan. I don’t know how any of them end.
West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California
on Oct 28th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
WCK,
I appreciate your honesty. It’s hard to get someone to argue (quietly)!
During JJ’s rookie year, he had a moment when things, in his perspective, were not going his way, and his finger waved big and proud. He mentioned this recently in an article I read and how “he was not raised that way.” Maybe he’s just better at controling his feelings, unlike the Kyle Busch’s and Juan Pablo’s of this sport.
A “steady diet” of JJ is just fine with me! I see I forgot to mention that I really like Kasey Kahne, too. Guess I just like the “good boy.” That must be why we are having this conversation. You like ‘em “fiery”. The only one of yours I agree with is Mark Martin. Stewart is a good driver, but I have noticed from statements in the past, he is quick to complain about something done to him, but let me mention he probably did it the week before! And, I won’t even discuss Danica with you. Hang her up on a wall and call her “centerfold”…that’s what she’ll be good at.
I don’t mind when someone has something to say, good or bad…I just hate it when the blame is always laid elsewhere…the car sucked, my pit crew sucks, I need a new crew chief! Jimmie complains and Chad is there to remind him of the big picture; then things are back on track (literally).
I appreciate that JJ is a great role model for kids. He may not have a spicy personality, but his driving certainly is!
on Oct 29th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
JJ_48_Fan,
There’s room for all of us in the big NASCAR tent, I hope.
I like ‘em fiery, alright, but I also like ‘em fair. Your second driver Kasey has a little spark in him too. Smoke was outspoken and would trade paint with you, but I never got the sense that he’d put someone out just to gain and advantage or for spite. To send a message, maybe!
Juan-Pablo would be the perfect driver for me except I think he’s still just a bit too reckless. I’d like for him to drive with just a little more respect.
I like a good, reasoned discussion of differing opinions with someone who can disagree without being disagreeable. This is one of the features I like so much about Insiders; the readers are so knowledgeable and because of moderation, we can disagree strongly without being unpleasant! If we all said the same things, no one would learn anything.
Looks like I will be off on Sunday. I decided I will watch ‘Dega.
WCK — KennethFong on Twitter
on Oct 29th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
WCK,
I will unfortunately have to work Sunday; but it will be DVR’ed and I will watch as soon as I get home. No one knows the outcome. I surely will have no nails when the race is over! Take care and happy race-watching! GO JIMMIE!
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
JJ_48_Fan, Congrats to you and Jimmie! He and Chad work very hard and very smart and deserve their success. Throwing the checkered on my season. I’ll see you next year. WCK
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 11:58 pm
One last word, T.C. and JJ_48_Fan,
Can you blame me for my utter and complete disdain for Jimmie? Can you hold your head up high and enthusiastically say you liked his performance at Talladega? Yes, it was a smart strategy. It’s smart for the World Chess Champion to run off a string of draws to win a match. But we don’t necessarily enjoy watching them.
Step outside yourself and look at this from my point of view for a moment. EVERYTHING I dislike — not hate, but dislike — about this bland, robotic, vanilla driver was manifest in today’s performance.
Not looking forward to the next 10 month coronation of Mr. Vanilla Robot, aka Jimmie Johnson.
WCK
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I AM happy with Jimmie’s performance…I WANT to see him win another championship. Sorry, but you can’t blame Jimmie or Chad for playing it safe. You can’t tell me they were the only ones! McMurray won the race on a similar strategy! Besides, Jimmie had a top 20 car at best! He and Chad were just smart. Should I not wear my seatbelt tonight when I leave work? It might be more fun! J/K
Blame NASCAR for making the RACE vanilla! It was the most BORING Talledega I have EVER seen!! I have never seen it one-lined for so long!
You are definitely entitled to your opinion…Lord knows, I would NEVER enjoy watching a chess match!! LOL
Enjoy the off-season! It’s been a pleasure…
on Nov 9th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
JJ_48_Fan
Joe Posnanski has a great piece on Jimmie Johnson, in the 11/9 Sports Illustrated. http://ta.gg/3u1. He addresses the whole vanilla issue head-on.
WCK
on Nov 10th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Already bought a copy! Loved the article…JJ’s amazing, even though a lot of NASCAR fans may not agree.