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Our Blog Sister Shirley has dropped by to make her pre-2010 prediction for the Sprint Cup Champion. Check it out!!
Jimmie Johnson – More Than A Drive For 5

By: Shirley Buttacavoli

This blog has taken more turns than Watkins Glen. I started it last year after Jimmie Johnson won his 4th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, immediately predicting he’d win #5. I felt Jimmie’s personal life was as consistent as the 48 team’s strategy and results, and that had been a winning combination.

Due to a couple announcements and some rule changes, that’s not the case now. So the blog has been tweaked a few times, as were my thoughts during the process. I even learned some interesting facts along the way.

Let the blog begin……

Thanks to Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson’s life took a dramatic change in 2002. It was Jimmie’s first full season driving teammate and co-owner, Jeff Gordon’s #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, with a rookie year points standings of 5th place. It was also the year Jeff introduced Jimmie Johnson and Chandra Janway.

As Jimmie’s NASCAR Cup Series career began, so did his personal life with Chandra.

2003 ended with Jimmie headed back to the Waldorf Astoria, 2nd in points. Later that December, Jimmie proposed to Chandra on a mountain top in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

2004 ended with Jimmie once again 2nd in points. On December 11, Jimmie and Chani were married on the island of St. Barts, where they honeymooned on co-owner Rick Hendrick’s 150-foot yacht.

Most in the NASCAR garage would consider 3 top-5 seasons exceptional for any team. During the first three years of a teams existence, outstanding. Not Rick Hendrick. Even while dealing with the tragic Martinsville plane crash of October 24, 2004, Mr. H realized Jimmie and Crew Chief, Chad Knaus, were not communicating well enough to compete for a championship. Thus, the famous 2005 “milk & cookies” meeting. Jimmie, Chad and the 48 team finished 5th in points, and they’ve never looked back.

With driver and crew chief goals aimed in the same direction, Jimmie won his 1st NASCAR Sprint Cup championship in 2006.

I wonder if at that time, Jimmie thought his life was perfect. He was happily married and on a team focused toward winning championships.

Then came the Car of Tomorrow’s debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, March 27, 2007. During the 2007 season, the COT ran at tracks 1-mile in size or less, road courses and the fall Talladega race. There were issues throughout the year, however, Jimmie picked up his 2nd Sprint Cup championship.

The COT ran the full season in 2008, which included the larger tracks the car had not been to the previous year. Jimmie brought home his 3rd consecutive Sprint Cup championship, tying Cale Yarborough’s streak of 3 during the 1976, ’77 and ’78 seasons

Jimmie and the 48 team had nothing to focus on in 2009 except breaking Cale’s record. Jimmie’s personal life was stable and Chad had figured out the COT. The formula was flawless. Jimmie Johnson made history and the 48 team became a dynasty with their 4th consecutive championship and Hendrick Motorsports 9th.

That is when I thought this blog was complete. Jimmie and Chani were a happy couple, and Chad had the Chevy Impala humming. My blog was simply going to be my prediction of 5 straight for Jimmie in 2010.

I had to second guess my prediction when it was announced Chandra Johnson was expecting and her due date was July 2010.

We’ve all seen how a driver’s focus can falter when fatherhood is imminent. Jeff Gordon’s season in 2007 is the perfect example. Jeff wanted to be with Ingrid at the time of his daughter’s birth, so arrangements were made in case he was not available to drive his 24 DuPont Impala during a race weekend. Luckily that was not an issue, but long sleepless nights were.

Granted, the birth of Ella Sophia, was not as stressful or dramatic as Jeff’s well publicized divorce from Brooke Sealey Gordon in 2002 and 2003. But I feel these circumstances prove a driver’s focus can be somewhere other than driving their racecar.

Which makes me wonder where Jimmie’s focus will be as the season progresses and the due date gets closer.

Another variable is NASCAR’s rule changes and replacing the wing with a spoiler. I’m not worried about Jimmie dealing with the rule changes, he’s dealt with worse. However, this will be the third car his team will have to adjust to during their 4-year domination.

The 48 team won their 1st championship the final season of the “Twisted-Sister.” They won their 2nd during the split-season with the Twisted-Sister and COT. They won their 3rd the first season the COT competed on all 21 tracks. They won their historical 4th championship the year the COT ran the entire schedule a second time.

NASCAR has announced they hope to race with the spoiler by March 28, 2010, at Martinsville. Which means, possibly as early as the 6th points race of the season, the Impala Jimmie will drive during his quest for a 5th championship will have a dramatic change.

In re-evaluating my prediction, I had to decide if Jimmie can handle being a first-time father, and if Chad can recreate a third championship ride.

I did determine one thing – no matter who wins the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, it will be one hell of a party. We’ve seen how Jimmie celebrates for the past 4 years. Can you imagine what will happen when another driver dethrones Jimmie as champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway? There won’t be enough champagne, Budweiser, Miller Lite, Amp, Red Bull – whatever the beverage of choice – to go around in south Florida.

But I’m sticking with my first choice. I’m picking Jimmie Johnson one more time. The team is solid, they have experienced changes in the past, and Jimmie will get a lot of advice from his fellow ‘Drive for 5’ teammate/co-owner, Jeff Gordon. Well…maybe not too much advice.

But hey, that’s only my opinion!