Challengers emerge to break Johnson's date with destiny

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Challengers emerge to break Johnson's date with destiny

Published Wednesday, September 23 2009 - (0) Comments

All 12 drivers who qualify for the Chase are called "chasers."
But after watching the Sylvania 300, it seems like a few drivers in this year's Chase actually have what it takes to quit chasing Jimmie Johnson and finally end his three-year reign at the top of the Sprint Cup Series.
Johnson is a great driver, but let's face it, his title reign has failed to capture anyone's imagination. Aside from downing a few too many adult beverages and falling off the top of a moving golf cart, Johnson hasn't shown a lick of personality to NASCAR viewers over the past three years. As a result, they've responded to his dominance by turning off their televisions.
The most interesting thing about Johnson was the beard he sprouted early this season, but he shaved that off months ago. Now we're left with a clean-shaven Lowe's spokesman who wheeled his No. 48 machine around New Hampshire last weekend, cruising under the radar until some savvy pit strategy landed him a fourth-place finish.
Now Johnson is sitting in a tie for second in the points and many members of NASCAR Nation are getting the feeling that they are watching a rerun. History tells us that Johnson will reel off a string of top-5 finishes that will lead to him hugging crew chief Chad Knaus in Victory Lane at Homestead (provided Victory Lane is large enough to fit Knaus' expanding ego) and clutching the Sprint Cup for the fourth straight year.
But don't tune out just yet -- this year's group of chasers is primed to finally run Johnson down.
Johnson's strengths over the last three Chases have been consistency, experience and momentum. Nobody has been able to match Johnson in those areas.
But this year Tony Stewart has been more consistent, Denny Hamlin and Juan Pablo Montoya have more momentum and Mark Martin has more experience.
When you throw former champions Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon into the mix, Johnson's margin for error has never been thinner.
History may have taught us that Johnson is prepared to run off a string of top-5 finishes, but the next nine races just might teach us that his best efforts won't be enough this time around.

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