Chasing History

By Richard Tix

Richard "The King" Petty. Dale "The Intimidator " Earnhardt. Two names that come to mind when you think NASCAR Champions, and for good reason because both have won a NASCAR record 7 Championships. Now for the first time since the start of the 1994 season when Dale won his last Championship, we have a driver in NASCAR looking to join the 7-Time club.

Jimmie Johnson will forever be a driver remembered for dominating the 2000's but will he also be remembered as a 7-Time Champion, or dare I say (sorry Dale and Petty fans, close your eyes) the all time NASCAR Champion leader?

Whether you love or hate Jimmie Johnson all it takes is one look at his career and notice he has been a force since he started driving. Jimmie Johnson may have come into NASCAR and been given a key to a Ferrari (or a Hendrick car) but he has done just about as much as you can do with that. Many other drivers have come and gone as part of the Hendrick team and not have near the success that Jimmie has, which says one thing, he can win. Haters will still hate, but year after year he proves once again that when he is done in NASCAR you will have to remember his name.

Every year he has run a full schedule he has at least 3 wins (except 2011 when he had 2). In those same years he has averaged 5.5 wins a season. Jimmie Johnson is into a crazy category of Champions where it is hard to pick his best season as a Cup driver. Most fans may look to 2007 (his second Championship) because he won 10 races, had 20 top 5's, and 24 top 10's, but past that you can argue a handful of years. The sad thing after you try to pick one, you realize you are picking from a bunch of Championship years and not just some really good seasons that ended up in a second place finish.

So now its 2014 and Jimmie Johnson is once again on top, but can he win another one right away? Tony Stewart will be coming back from his injury and wanted to regain his 2011 form when he stole a Championship from JJ after JJ had won 5 straight (NASCAR record 5 straight). Brad Keselowski had a roller coaster season in 2013 after winning a Championship in 2012 and is as close to a "rival" to Johnson as anyone. Add into the mix that it seems parity is starting to hit NASCAR and it might be a tough feat just to get to 7.

In the coming years NASCAR's landscape will change and in perfect time to see how JJ will handle it. He has handled everything that has come his way so how will a bunch of veterans entering there prime (Carl Edwards, Brad K, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, etc, etc) and new young guns (Ricky Steinhouse, Austin Dillon, Justin Allgaire, Kyle Larson, Parker Kligerman, etc, etc) hungry to take him down affect how easy it is for JJ to dominate? I think that JJ faces a tough task trying to get to number 7 and 8, but that is what will make it even better for him. If he can get at least two more Championships fans will have to start recognizing him whether they like it or not.

Let me know on Twitter what you think! Will he get/pass Dale and Petty? Are you a JJ Follower or hater? Do you think its all Hendrick or there has to be more to him?

(Note: As a fan I am not a follower of JJ, nor am I a hater. I do respect what he has done so far in his career and am interested to see how it continues to shape up)

Take a look at these NASCAR Behind the Wall Articles as well:

• Driver Spotlight: Joey Logano
• Driver Spotlight: Denny Hamlin
• Driver Spotlight: Kevin Harvick
• Driver Spotlight: Dale Earnhardt Jr
• Happy New Year: NASCAR Addition
• NASCAR World Top Stories: December
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Headlines 2014