Race 2 Win: NEXTEL Cup Series Race Notes

Nextel Cup Series

Sharpie 500 - Jimmie Johnson Notes

Jimmie Johnson
Bristol Preview

It’s going to be a short week for Lowe’s Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series that raced at Michigan on Tuesday and now travels to the newly repaved Bristol Motor Speedway for Friday’s qualifying and Saturday night’s race in the Impala SS “Car of Tomorrow.”

Johnson finished third Tuesday at Michigan marking his third consecutive top-five finish for the Hendrick Motorsports team. With only Bristol, California and Richmond races left before the start of the “Chase for the Championship” Johnson is sixth in points. But, under the new scoring system that equalizes the points for all 12 “Chase” drivers then adds ten points for each victory, Johnson would start the “Chase” tied for first with teammate Jeff Gordon – both drivers own four victories.

DRIVER JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTES:
BRISTOL: “There’s not a lot I look forward to when it comes to racing at Bristol. I love to go watch the races there. I think it is a great place for a spectator. But when you are in the car you know how you seem to be escaping disaster multiple times each lap. I guess the only other way you would enjoy it is if you had a huge points lead so maybe the 24 (Jeff Gordon) will have a good time there. For us it is tough.

“It is a track where when you see it in the rear view mirror you are relieved that you got out of there. It’s a rush to drive the track. No doubt about it. But you are in a different mindset when you have something to lose when you go there verses if you are a fan or have a great position in the points. The place can be a lot of fun then.”

HOW MUCH MORE INTENSE ARE THE RACES AS THE CHASE NEARS? "They get more and more intense. A lot of it depends on where you are in the points. I think it's a relaxing period of time for the guys in the top five. Everybody near that 12th position in the points, it's pretty brutal right now getting ready for the Chase. Your whole season is based on getting in the Chase. So there's a lot of pressure in those areas right now."

NOTES

Chassis

Johnson will drive chassis 433 at Bristol and chassis 413 will serve as the backup. (See chassis history below)

Bristol Motor Speedway

In 11 starts, Johnson has completed 5,361 of 5,504 laps. He owns an average starting spot of 18 and average finish of 15.5. He has led 29 laps. According to NASCAR, Johnson has made 50 quality passes (passes of a top 15 car under green flag racing) in the last five races.

2007 Season

Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon are the only drivers with four victories.

Chevrolet has won 17 of the season’s 23 races.

Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 of the season’s 23 races.

Hendrick Motorsports has won 5 of the 9 “Car of Tomorrow “races.

Johnson has led in 13 of 23 races for 778 laps in 2007.

Career

Johnson has won at least three races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first six full-time seasons.

Johnson’s victory at Richmond on May 6 was the 27th of his Nextel Cup career. This win gives him sole possession of 22nd place on the list for most victories since 1949.

Johnson’s owns nine poles in his career. He has won a pole in each of his first five seasons – the longest streak among active drivers.

History

In 206 starts, Johnson has posted 78 top-5 finishes and 124 top-10 finishes. He has a top-10 finish at every track on the NASCAR Nextel Cup series circuit. Kansas is the only track where he has not posted a top-five finish. Johnson has led 4,973 laps and driven 58,539 laps in his Nextel Cup career covering over 78,688 miles. He has finished on the lead lap 156 times. He owns a career average start of 12.3 and an average finish of 12.4.