Posted on November 27, 2006

By Passin' and Sassin'

Email This Page

Email The Author

About The Author

The columnists put their reputations on the line three times this year and this week they crown a champion. Did a writer choose the correct driver as 2006 Nextel Cup Champion? Before they reveal the champion, the editorialists discuss what they felt about the 2006 season and what we can anticipate about 2007.

Q: Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson on his first Championship. What’s your overall opinion on the season?

Shannon Poe: Overall, I saw a lot of good racing. I found Kansas, Phoenix, and Michigan’s tracks have improved on my interest scale. Hell, I even watched both road course races with interest, definitely a first in my years as a fan. I learned that controversy and racing go hand in hand, and I love it. I discovered that those who win the championship tend not to do so well the following season. Could it be the Nextel Cup is jinxed? I learned that the absorbent material used to muck up fluids on the track gets in your eye and on the lenses of glasses. Further, I learned that it will scratch the hell out of said glasses and peels a layer of skin off your face as cars flying by at 180 mph stir it around on a cold night in Charlotte. (Can you hear me cursing, Humpy?) I have re-learned that after 36 plus weeks of racing action, the off-season still causes me to suffer withdrawals as I wait impatiently for February to return for more reasons than I hate winter.

Christina Ribbeck: For the most part, I thought the season was pretty good. I know I can do without so many “debris” cautions, since the networks fail to show most of the “debris” on the track. Who really knows if there is debris or if NASCAR just wanted to throw a caution. I was surprised at what drivers did and didn’t make the chase this year. 

Chris Campbell: This season really was fast and for the most part, a snooze. It probably will be remembered as the year Kasey Kahne dominated too early but ended with a less than stellar performance in the Chase. Tony Stewart not making the Chase will be more memorable than Jimmie Johnson being crowned champion. Let’s face it; the only time fans tend to listen to Johnson is when his team is being accused of another cheating incident. The Hendrick and Johnson lovefest by the media has burned out more fans than Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s dominance of the Most Popular Driver award.

Q: Personnel changes will continue to occur in the short off-season, however, looking back at silly season, what change was the biggest surprise?

Shannon Poe: It falls between two drivers in my book. Beginning with Brian Vickers. If Hendrick can’t get him a fair win (as far as I am concerned, his one and only win is baloney poop) then what other team can? Should be interesting to watch this fall from less than grace. Next up is Jeremy Mayfield. Oh, I get why he’s gone—in this sport, it is all about performance and lack thereof. What I am frankly shocked about is the lawsuit that he filed in the process as well as the allegations about the personal life of his former boss. I find that to be in poor taste, and reflective of how Jeremy Mayfield began in this sport. I thank my buddy Chris for pointing that out to me last week.

Christina Ribbeck: Mark Martin not retiring from Cup racing AND switching to another team, if only for a partial season, that was a surprise. I was not expecting that announcement at all. Another shocker was when Dale Jarrett announced he would be driving for Michael Waltrip Racing for Toyota. I was certain Dale was going to retire at the end of this season.

Chris Campbell: I am torn between two choices – Elliott Sadler leaving Yates Racing and Mark Martin not returning to Roush Racing. Honestly when Martin returned this year to help Jack
Roush, I expected he would not retire after all. However, I didn’t see the internal strife that must be present for him to decide not to return to Roush in 2007. Candy Man’s defection was an initial surprise especially when we knew Dale Jarrett was leaving Yates, but I guess he thought RYR was a sinking ship and needed to bail now.

Q: What are you looking forward to in 2007?

Christina Ribbeck: I’m curious how NASCAR is planning on “tweaking” the chase and just for racing to begin again. I can’t say I’m really looking forward to seeing the Car Of Tomorrow, but I’m curious how well it will do. Also Toyota’s debut too.

Shannon Poe:  Cheering my boy on, of course!

Chris Campbell: I am anticipating the “fall from grace” of the Car Of Tomorrow. I have too many concerns about this concept car to embrace its entrance into the Nextel Cup Series. I am also looking for a great season in the Busch Series, when we won’t be hearing the term “Buschwhacker” with every race.

*matches actual placement as of the date of the column

First picks of the season were not ranked.

Q: Congratulations to Shannon on predicting Jimmie Johnson’s championship. Thinking back through this process, was there anything that proved to be easier or more difficult than you expected?

Chris Campbell: I expected to be the unbiased journalist I usually am every week and look at things with an open mind. That proved to be the most difficult chore of all with these selections. Many times, I felt that I picked more with my heart than with my mind. In this sense, Shannon did a better job than I did. Congratulations Shannon – I’ll get it next year. J

Christina Ribbeck: My picks were not really based on any one thing in particular. It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Since I was 80% correct on my second picks, I thought for sure I would at least tie it or do better. It just goes to show you that anything can happen in the chase and it surely did.  

Shannon Poe: To me, the most difficult part is ranking the driver’s finish spots. Man, this sport has gotten so competitive that it is virtually impossible to be concretely certain of rank. The second most difficult is picking the driver by sticking with gut instinct instead of my personal preference. Why did I pick Johnson? There are a few reasons, starting with following the media. Each year as the Chase grid is set, it seems as though the media chooses the driver who coincidentally winds up winning. Johnson, while consistently racing very well, was chosen as overdue by the media early on as a favorite. There are still some of us that feel as though NASCAR handed Kurt Busch a championship two years ago. After a rocky start to the 2006 season, Johnson rallied back from adversity and spent a large amount of time at the top of the point standings prior to the Chase. He showed the ability to overcome early race setbacks and would pull top five and ten finishes seemingly out of thin air. He matured significantly in his restrictor plate program (Way to NOT wreck ‘em this year Jimmie!) and earned every bit of this championship. I try to forget who his team co-owner is; it is him against who I have the biggest grudge. 

The above opinions and text are created solely by members of Passin’ & Sassin’. They are not the viewpoints of Speedwaymedia, NASCAR, or any sponsors affiliated with the sport. J

Discuss this story at our forum!

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the publisher.  All comments other than website related problems need to be directed to the author.  Copyright 2000-2006 SpeedwayMedia.com.