The Fat Lady is Warming Up!
By: Drew Hierwarter
The headline on NASCAR.com this morning was simple, succinct, and to the point; “It’s Over”, was all it said. Well, it may not be over quite yet but the fat lady is backstage, in costume, and warming up her voice. Jimmie Johnson dominated the race at Martinsville over the weekend by leading 339 of the 500 laps and stretching his point lead over second place Greg Biffle to 149 points with only four races left in the season.
If all of this sounds like deja-vue all over again, it is. Last year Johnson and team won at Martinsville, and followed that up by winning three of the last four to completely take the wind out of the championship sails of everybody else.
To their credit, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton (152 points back) both feel that nothing is over until it’s over and they still have a chance. Biffle finished 12th Sunday and moved from third to second in points and felt that nothing has been decided yet. When asked if he thought Johnson has sealed the deal, he replied; “I don’t think so. We can catch ‘em.”
Jeff Burton said, “If it surprises anyone that the 48 ran well at Martinsville, they’re crazy. It didn’t surprise me at all. They run better here than anywhere, and they run well in a lot of places. But I don’t think this is over at all.” Okay Jeff, we believe ya!
The fact of the matter is that crew chief Chad Knaus and the entire Hendrick Motorsports 48 team are doing what they do best. They carefully plan the entire year so that they reach their peak at exactly this time. Knaus is meticulous in his preparations, Johnson is tenacious behind the wheel, and everybody from the guys in the fab shop, the engine department, the mechanics, and the guys who go over the wall during pit stops on Sunday are the best at what they do.
The chase for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship indeed may not be over. But things are getting tougher and tougher for those behind the leader, and it’s only going to get worse. Cue the fat lady.
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
You’re right that it’s not over yet. But, just like the fat lady warming up to celebrate victory, the chorus line is still on stage. The fact that Jimmie Johnson is making it tougher for those behind him only makes the chase more interesting. Don’t you think so?
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
It would be a lot more interesting if Johnson’s lead was less than it is. The #48 can stand to have poor finishes in two of the next four races and still be the champions. And still Edwards or Burton will have to win all four of those races to have a chance. Neither is a likely scenario.
Johnson will finsh well in all four remaining races, and could easliy win two of them.
I know, I know, anything can happen, the sky could fall, the hauler driver could get lost on the road somewhere and not show up.
But really, history will be made and Jimmy Johnson will most likely win his third consecutive championship, and be only the second man to ever do that.