(photo by Leon Hammack)
Because the Hendrick Motorsports #48 Lowe’s Chevy has been so good at short and intermediate tracks in the final 10 races of the year, the Chase tracks, however his great finishes at Dover have been somewhat overlooked. The defending 3-time champion is looking for his first sweep of Dover since his rookie season, 2002, where he led a combined 358 laps. Five Chase starts at Dover have brought him a win in 2005 and two other top 10’s.
Johnson was the dominate car in May, leading 298 laps and getting his fourth win in 15 starts there. In spite of all the evidence that would lead one to believe that Johnson is the favorite for Sunday’s AAA 400 race, the driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevy takes a wait and see approach.
You can’t blame Johnson for being somewhat superstitious. None of the fall Dover winners have gone on to win the championship, Greg Biffle was the latest example winning the 2008 race. After all Johnson is trying to become the only driver to win 4 consecutive Championships in a row!
But the #48 Lowe’s team has already made history in the Chase and has reason to be confident in their ability to break “the curse”. While Johnson would like to sweep at Dover, it is not necessary. However, a good finish at Dover would put the team in a good position to break through at the 1.5 mile tracks of Kansas and Lowe’s.
If history serves this reporter well, Johnson has won 14 of the 51 races that compose The Chase to The Cup since it was conceived! Does that make Jimmie Johnson the favorite for the 2009 Championship? You tell me! Look where he is standing in the Chase standings, 2nd position just 35 points behind the leader.
What do you think about Jimmie Johnson’s chances of making history by winning four consecutive championships?
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
