Published: November 13, 2007 09:53 pm            

Johnson continues to impress

Since joining Nextel Cup, Jimmie Johnson has established himself as one of the elite drivers in stock car racing.

It seems that every time Johnson takes to the track he is poised to break another NASCAR record.

Now in his sixth full-time season, Johnson, 32, has never finished outside the top five in points. He is the first driver to accomplish that feat.

With his fourth consecutive win last weekend in Phoenix, Johnson is on the verge of capturing the Nextel Cup championship for a second consecutive time. That’s something that hasn't been done only by teammate Jeff Gordon.

In addition to winning the championship in 2006, Johnson finished second in points in 2003 to Matt Kenseth and in 2004 to Kurt Busch by only eight points

Johnson’s worst finish in the season points chase was a fifth in 2005.

Should Johnson win at Homestead this weekend, he will become the first Nextel Cup driver to win five consecutive races.

He has already scored 33 Cup victories and has started from the pole a dozen times.

The California driver started in off-road racing and then advanced to the American Speed Association where he won rookie of the year honors. After a second year with ASA, Johnson moved up to the Busch Grand National Series and finally to the Nextel Cup.

He is a sponsor’s ideal representative. Johnson never publicly loses his temper, uses profanity or gets arrested. His biggest blunder to date was falling off a golf cart and injuring his wrist.

Earlier this year he donated his winnings from the Texas race to the relief efforts following the wild fires in California. He has formed a foundation that has contributed to the Victory Junction Gang Camp in North Carolina. The Petty family founded the camp.

Johnson doesn’t have the 2007 title locked up, but with an 86-point lead over Gordon, it would take a major meltdown to prevent his capturing the championship.

Obviously it doesn’t hurt that Johnson drives for Hendrick Motorsports, which has won half of all the Nextel Cup races run this season. With NASCAR going to the Car of Tomorrow (brick on wheels), it would be safe to make Johnson and Gordon the early favorites to capture the 2008 title.

In other racing news:

I’m not a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, but I’m glad this season is almost over for him and will mark his departure from Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Earnhardt has had a terrible year with more engine failures than Peyton Manning had interceptions on Sunday and has now fallen to 14th in the point standings, behind Ryan Newman.

With Little E moving to Hendrick in 2008, that team will become even stronger. The dominance will continue for that team next year.

• Illinois driver Levi Jones, who drives for Tony Stewart Racing, captured the USAC Sprint Series championship last weekend by finishing fourth in a preliminary feature at Manzanita Speedway.

New Castle driver Tracy Hines made his return to racing after being injured in an off-road accident earlier this year at Phoenix Raceway in a Tony Stewart Racing midget. He finished 35th in the feature after a mechanical failure.

Ken de la Bastide is a Kokomo

Tribune columnist. He may be reached at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com or (765) 454 -8580.

        

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