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Monday, December 15, 2014

2014 Driver Spotlight Review: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson 2014 Review


Season Grade: C

Who stole Jimmie Johnson and where did you put him? That is how you can sum up the #48's 2014 season. Yet, JJ finished the season with 4 total wins. Four wins is a great amount for any driver in a single season so JJ has nothing to complain about there, yet he was still lacking something.

That's because even with four wins, he still finished a career worst 11th place in the points. It wouldn't have been much better under a points only system either. But, that's just showing how dominate JJ has been over his career in NASCAR. 

His 15.3 average finish was the worst of his career as well, but in 471 races he has an average finish position of 11.9. His four wins brought him to 70 career wins and his 20 top 10's means he has 13 straight season's with 20+ top 10's. 

Jimmie Johnson is on another level when we judge him. Considering almost every fan will agree he had a down season, almost bad. Yet, his 4 win, 11 top 5, 20 top 10 stat line would lead you to believe he had an above average season. Sometimes you have to think back and grade someone on everyone else's curve and not just his own curve he has set so high.

That's why he gets a grade of a C and not lower. Yes, it was a rough season for Chad and JJ, yet they can take a lot of positives from it and move on. JJ has hit his peak, and I personally believe he has a few more years before he regresses. But, the fact is the sport has a lot of star drivers in the making and a whole crop full of young talent on the way.

Title number 7 and possibly beyond wont be an easy task the longer it takes him to get to the next, so it will be fun to watch young guns come up the ranks and try and compete against JJ in his last years in NASCAR (trust me, I'm sure he has 8+ JJ type years left in him).



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