Why can't Jimmy Johnson make things work at the end of the racing season? He is a great driver, but he can't seem to clinch the title. Why not?
2006-10-02 07:01:29 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Auto Racing
I know I am beginning to wonder that myself. I have a little Jimmie Statue- I have put him in Timeout so that he can think about how he totally blew it yesterday, and then maybe he can comeback and win this thing. I have been confident that this was his year, but now I am not so sure.
If Jimmy can't do it this year, I would like to see Kasey Khane take it, or Jeff Gordon get his 5th cup.
But then again remember a few years ago when he was within 8 points of the title, he was worse off in points then he is now at this point and he rallied to within 8 points. So I won't give up until he is mathmatically eliminated.
Also remember that he does not have any DNF's this year. I don't think that you can say that about any other driver. That has to say something for his skill- and a bit of luck.
As long as Jr or Harvick don't win, it won't be a total loss
2006-10-02 11:29:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
There are so many talented drivers that it's hard to even get into the Chase. Then when a driver makes it into the Chase there is so much pressure on them to win races, stay consistent and win the Championship.
Jimmie's team is strong throughout the beginning of the season but once the Chase starts they start to have problems. And if you notice it, the other drivers who make it into the Chase start to have their best runs like Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick.
I think that possibly Jimmie and his team's ego gets in the way. They start off strong and possibly think that they can just coast into the Chase and win it all and then BOOM...they start to lack off. I guess that maybe the racing Gods are telling Jimmie and the Lowes team not to get their egos too high because anything can and will happen in the Chase.
Jimmie is a talented driver and I think that the pressure of trying to win gets to him during the Chase. I think that some drivers can handle pressure better than others.
2006-10-02 20:08:34 · answer #2 · answered by DaleJr#1Girl 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
JJ is not a great driver and the Chase shows that more than the full season standings would. He is mediocre and on the right team to make him better than he is. His Busch stats would back that up.
He starts the season very strong, but it seems that is more luck than skill, as he has had runs where he took a person out to protect him running well (Phoenix, last spring is the first one that comes to mind), and cars that handled better than anyone else's.
He fades badly and the Chase exploits that. He faded in 2002, and both years of the Chase so far. He won't be great until he can put it together and do something in the last 10 races.
And his name is Jimmie, not Jimmy.
2006-10-02 17:15:39 · answer #3 · answered by Kaotik29 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Reality sets in. He's been the luckiest driver I can remember. Once that luck runs out, you see the real driver he is, which is average at best.
Once all the other teams figure what HMS was doing to get their edge, they lose their advantage.
Sure looks like he's choking away another chance after being a front runner all season. Some guys can't compete in the trenches as well as others. He's good when he's out front, but only average when he's back in the pack.
Looks to me, like they are making mental mistakes every week. Maybe the pressure is too much? He's been on a downward slide for a few months now, he was slumping before the chase started.
2006-10-02 14:44:16 · answer #4 · answered by biggie 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am not a huge fan of JJ but to see his season end this way is disgusting. He should be well on his way to a championship. He was having a championship season, then with 10 races to go the season starts all over, he has a couple bad races and he is done. How is that a fair points system. Perhaps in baseball they should take the top 3 teams from each division with 20 games to go in the season and erase thier records and let only those 3 play for the title. Or the final round of golf tourneys they should only let the top 5 players compete for the win and the other rounds scores dont count.
2006-10-02 15:03:56 · answer #5 · answered by Allinwiththenuts 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Tough season and good guys to compete with. Jimmie's task of winning the cup will not be easy, as there are so many talented drivers also competing for the cup. Jimmie has a lot of skill, but it's all come down to hitting his marks each lap of every race...so in other words, repetition. He needs that now more than any time...and the same goes for all the other drivers. Time to kick it into high gear! No mistakes allowed now...it's cup racing we're talking about now. Jimmie can still make it, but he has to be almost perfect to win.
2006-10-02 14:05:37 · answer #6 · answered by Misscheerios2 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think it is because he always gets such a big lead heading into the chase that they just coast in. So then they are stuck in that mentality when the chase begins and it is hard to break that. He had a great car at Kansas this weekend, but fuel mileage played into the equation eliminating Jimmy from the win. Too bad.
2006-10-02 14:14:15 · answer #7 · answered by Kutlessfan 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
He tries so hard he screws up.When the season progresses and this chase B.S. comes to play,some drivers choke and to an extent this is Johnsons problem.Even though he is not in my top 10 favorites he is a very good driver.
2006-10-02 17:58:06 · answer #8 · answered by blakree 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
he's a good driver, but he's not great!! it's just one of those crap happens things. he had to come in and pit.. i'm really not sure why chad knauss decided to wait so long..he could have had more time to make up position had they gone in a bit earlier after he clinched the most laps led points, and what was with putting tires on?? seriously.. three laps to go and tires?? then you have that speeding incident which was just bad luck.. it sucked, but it was just one of those things he should have watched..and b/c of pressure and stress he didn't..
2006-10-02 14:40:58 · answer #9 · answered by smokes_girl 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I thinks it's funny. I'm not a Hendrick fan at all. Isn't this the 3rd straight year that he has choked near the end of the season?
2006-10-03 08:14:52 · answer #10 · answered by ...mr2fister... 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋