Jimmie Johnson’s history in the chase doesn’t really need to be updated does it? Of course, on paper, he is the strongest candidate to win this thing. Only Johnson, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart have won in this new format established in 2004 and I am beginning to wonder if NASCAR’s idea to make the championship more exciting has blown up in their face.
Remember after the fall Richmond race in 2003 Matt Kenseth had a 418 point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Remember how Kenseth only had one win in 2003, yet he still won the championship? Does anyone recall how many points he won the championship by and who came in second (the NEVER do)? The runner up for the last Winston Cup was Jimmie Johnson, who lost by a mere 90 points with 3 wins. Ryan Newman had the most wins in 2003 with eight, but finished 6th in the final standings.
So, with a new sponsor (Nextel – Sprint) coming on board in 2004 NASCAR decided to change the format to a 10 race playoff. They tinkered with how points were awarded for wins and how many get to participate (initially only 10 drivers made the chase) but overall they have touted this as exciting. And exciting it was, in 2004. After that there really has not been any excitement because Johnson has done what was necessary for that No. 48 bunch to win it.
So, with Jimmie Johnson winning the Sprint Cup race in Dover this weekend the following stories were found on the internet:

“Johnson Serves Notice with Dover Victory”; “So, can anybody beat Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus? Better bring your A-plus game to Kansas”; “Johnson leaves the rest with that sinking feeling”; “It’s Johnson’s title to lose”

There are already people who believe that the 2009 edition of Chase for the Sprint Cup is already over because of Johnson’s dominance at Dover. However, many of the participants don’t agree just yet.

Current points leader Mark Martin said after the race, “We missed it just a little, little bit.” He then addressed how he wanted things to work when he made the move the Hendrick Motorsports this season. He wondered aloud if his contributions helped the No. 48 car. “I certainly it would make me very proud if something I said helped them,” Martin said. “Don’t forget, you know, that was one of my major goals when they brought me in. I wanted to be able to make a contribution to Hendrick Motorsports. I hoped I might get a win, but I definitely wanted to at least be useful.”
Martin then put his team mate on notice while conceding how good he is. “So we’re going to race them,” Martin said. “We’re going to race our guts out no matter where he we wind up. And no matter who they are.”
Then he added about Johnson, “I’m pretty sure that the dude’s Superman. And, you know, I have had the opportunity to see up close. I’m telling you, I see why he is so successful. I see why. He works harder at it than anybody else, I think, on the circuit.”
After the race Johnson was asked if he hoped that everyone else felt like they were defeated, like it was already a foregone conclusion. Johnson said, “I know some teams are motivated by things like this where we don’t perform (like at New Hampshire?) and come back the following week and step up. Some people it can affect them in a way where it’s helpful. I really don’t think about those things.”
Johnson admitted to paying attention to things other than his race car in the past saying, “I see guys get so worried about what other people think, what other people say and spend a lot of time in those areas. That’s not what works for me. I tried to play some of those games in 2005 with Tony Stewart. It didn’t workout for me. Since that day I realized I just need to run my race, put blinders on. Don’t watch television. Don’t watch or read any of the trade papers, magazines. Just ignore, ignore, ignore, and focus on my world and what’s going on with my race car. That’s what I’ll do through the rest of the chase.”
Going into the chase there were stories of how perhaps Johnson and his crew were not as strong as they had been in past years. Perhaps they could be beat. Right now pundits have eliminated half the ‘chasers’ from hope of winning it. I would say to just wait a minute, agree with Mark Martin that we’re 20% through this chase. But if Johnson goes on a top – 5 tear this thing could be over before we hit Lowes Motor Speedway next month. It’s something NASCAR doesn’t want to happen but people could care less if Johnson makes history this year, they need a reason to watch it, either from their seats in the grandstands or from their living room. Johnson taking everyone to school in 2009 might mean NASCAR gives him ‘day old tires’ to race on during the 2010 chase.

I wonder what is getting said behind closed doors in Daytona Beach now.