Heading into Martinsville, the sixth race in the 2009 Chase for the Championship, the title fight has already been deemed the ‘Jimmie Johnson Show’ although other contenders are still mathematically in the hunt.
Johnson extended his points lead to 90 markers over Mark Martin following a dominating performance at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. In true fashion, the Lowe’s wheeler conquered the track that shared his sponsorship namesake.
During March madness, Johnson attacked Martinsville Speedway intending to bookmark the storied success of Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) over the past 25 years in NASCAR Cup competition. The 0.526 mile paperclip shaped facility was the site of HMS first visit to victory lane in 1984 with veteran driver Geoff Bodine. Twenty-five years later, Johnson parked his race car in victory lane. In 51 starts at the Virginia track, the Hendrick Motorsports organization has accumulated 18 victories. Thirteen of which have been attributed to current HMS standouts Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Six of Jimmie Johnson’s 46 career victories come on the temperamental short track in Martinsville. A three-time consecutive champion, Johnson will attempt to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive title by remaining atop the leader board over the next four weeks.
“We're only halfway through this thing,” said Johnson. “So much can happen. Somebody at Martinsville can lose their brakes and clean you out. With the double file restart there's going to be a lot of bumping and banging. Someone can get into you and knock a valve stem out or cut a tire. I mean, it's a nice points lead, but there's no need for anybody to get too excited yet,” he continued. We've got good tracks ahead for us, so from a team standpoint we're excited and optimistic, but at the same time there's a lot of danger out there and we've just got to be smart."
Dangerous threats to Johnson’s title hunt come in the form of HMS teammates Martin and Gordon. The old adage remains true today “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”
The most threatening teammate to Johnson is veteran wheeler Mark Martin. While the trophy has eluded him in the past, Martin is hoping to make his second attempt at full-time driving the most memorable. Of his 40 career victories, Mark ‘The Kid’ Martin has claimed victory at Martinsville twice. His last win on the short track came in April 9, 2000.
Martin started his 2009 campaign with a win at Phoenix and will return to the desert with his sights on the title. Stepping into the No. 5 car at HMS has been a whirlwind for the veteran, who previously ran part-time and considered a possible retirement. Now, back with a vengeance, Martin is ready to roll every time the engines fire.
“We believe in each other, Martin expressed. “ I don't see how you can believe any more than this team believes. We are new together this year. That's one thing that we have going for us really, to be honest with you. We have never let each other down, never. I think that's worth something to us right now and we're just going to fight for it with all our heart."
For Martin, the goal is simple. “We've got to get through Martinsville and Talladega (Ala.). Then we'll have a clear view of what's going to happen here with this championship, Martin added. “Give us those two more races to see."
Martin’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson believes in Martin and his winning ways. His game plan for the No. 5 Chevrolet team is the same even at this stage in the title hunt. "Winning. The same thing it's always been,” Gustafson added. “I felt that way going into Charlotte and every other week. We don't approach any race differently. We just go to win, and the rest will take care of itself. Sometimes you accomplish it, and sometimes you finish 17th. It's just the way the sport goes,” he continued. “We can't re-adjust what we do or change our strategy. I don't think it would have gotten us in any better position last week. We just work on our mistakes, get better and go to Martinsville trying to win."
For HMS teammate and decorated wheeler Jeff Gordon, third is not the premier points position. He currently sits 135 points out of first. Gordon is on a ‘Drive for Five’ titles and is hoping to make another entry in the record books, along with his 82 career wins. His search for the elusive Sprint Cup will culminate on November 22, at Miami Homestead Speedway. Gordon has a victory on every track on the schedule with the exception of Miami Homestead Speedway.
In the meantime, Gordon will focus his efforts on Martinsville, where he holds seven victories in 33 career starts. The last time Gordon finished outside the top 10 at Martinsville since 2002. It just so happens, that in 2002 Jimmie Johnson raced for rookie-of-the-year honors.
"I'm excited about Martinsville and I hope it's a good weekend for us," said Gordon, who will drive a specially painted No. 24 DuPont/National Guard Chevrolet in the 500-lap race. "And the 'new' double-file restart rule should add to an already challenging track and race.”
Gordon’s protégé Johnson could equal his championship effort this season, and Gordon is pleased. “His (Johnson‘s) rookie year was a lot better than mine. But it just shows when you put a talented driver with a great organization like Hendrick and put a strong team together you're going to see great results. I lived through that and currently am living through it and those guys have done a fantastic job and I'm happy for them.” Gordon said.
“Jimmie is a great guy and I've had a lot of fun being a part of seeing it come together. They've definitely worked hard to get to where they are. You want to see somebody who is appreciative and works hard that utilizes the resources and goes out there and capitalizes on it and they have, he said."
While Gordon sings his praises, Jimmie Johnson is more modest and will not call himself one of NASCAR’s best drivers despite his high level of success over the last seven years.
"Not my space to say that,” Johnson said when he was asked his ranking amongst the best in NASCAR. “As a competitor and as an athlete, it's not what I say it's not my style, it's not what I think other athletes should say. Truthfully I have a lot of time left in this sport and hopefully we can increase my odds of being considered one of the better ones in this sport. Only time will tell,” Johnson continued. “There are a lot of great ones that were before me. It's exciting to me to hear my name mentioned with those names and something that I really respect and appreciate. Hopefully I can keep this up and improve my position.”
Johnson is humbled by his success, a trait he shares with Mark Martin. "I'm really shocked that it's me living this and experiencing all of this. It's been an amazing ride” Johnson added. “The cool thing is I still have a lot of years left ahead of me so I think I can improve my position."
Looking to dethrone the current champion is Tony Stewart, who made history of his own in 2009 when he entered the ownership ranks. Visiting victory lane three times in point’s competition and securing a win in the All Star event elevated Stewart to the points lead early in the regular season.
As the chase began, Stewart’s teams struggled. Now, the two-time champion is refocusing his efforts to make resurgence toward the points lead. While a title could elevate 2009 to a dream season, Stewart Haas Racing is pleased with their current placement of both teams in the Chase for the Championship. And, Stewart is not ready to hand Jimmie Johnson any title.
"Everybody is still happy about the fact that we're doing this in our first year but I think since the Chase has started we all, not have expected more, but we put more pressure on ourselves to perform better and consistent each week so we still feel like we have a shot at this championship.,” Stewart continued. “That's what we're all pushing for right now."
Stewart, who had a love/hate relationship with Martinsville, is prepared to do battle on the short track facility, where at one time he felt that it should not be a racetrack at all. “I can remember saying that we ought to fill it up with water and have the Bassmasters Classic there,” said Stewart. “Or demolish the whole infield and pave it and make it a mini mall. But since then, Clay Campbell (track president) has done a lot of work at Martinsville and made huge improvements to make it what it is now. It's a fun, racy racetrack” he added.
On the other hand, Stewart believes “"Martinsville deserves two dates. All you've got to do is come watch a race at Martinsville to realize that. There are no bad finishes at Martinsville, Stewart continued. “That's made short track racing fun again. You're not worried about having to explain to somebody that whatever contact you had was an accident. And short tracks aren't cookie-cutter. They're all one-of-a-kind and they all have their own personality. Martinsville fits that bill, and it also has a cool trophy that's a one-of-a-kind."
Stewart, also known as ‘Smoke’ has 37 total career victories since his rookie year in 1999; with two victories on the Martinsville track that he become so fond of. And while all the madness of the Chase centers on the other three HMS wheelers, let’s not forget that the horsepower under his hood also came from Hendrick Motorsports.
