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Sprint Cup
CUP: Johnson Eyeing Point Jump
Jimmie Johnson in position to challenge Brad Keselowski for Chase lead…
Jimmie Johnson will start first on Sunday at Martinsville. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sunday’s situation sets up perfectly for Jimmie Johnson as he zeroes in on what would be a sixth Sprint Cup championship.
He starts first in the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The guy he’s chasing in the Chase, point leader Brad Keselowski, starts deep in the field – 32nd. Johnson has won six times at Martinsville, including one stretch of five wins in six races. Keselowski’s next win at the half-mile will be his first.
By winning the pole, Johnson was able to pick the first pit stall, a key advantage here. Keselowski will be buried halfway back on pit road.
Few will be surprised if Johnson leaves Martinsville with the point lead.
But…
“Initial track position is going to be a problem (for Keselowski), but I as a competitor have to expect the most out of these guys I’m racing for the championship with,” Johnson said. “We see it regardless of sport. When it gets playoff time, things happen. I don’t want to put my guard down. … We are ahead of our competitors (in starting spot), but it is playoff time, and everybody brings their best stuff.”
And, strange things happen. Kurt Busch won here in 2002 starting from 36th.
It would be to Johnson’s advantage to attempt to pass Keselowski early in the race and drop him a lap behind. It’s clearly an idea that holds merit.
“I haven’t had time to think about it from that angle,” Johnson said. “Of course, if you can get any Chaser a lap down, and then put them in the situation where they’re not the Lucky Dog, would be fantastic. So that will definitely be a priority, but I’m not going to do anything stupid, lap five, that would affect the outcome of the race to try to make that happen. But, if we can, I’ll definitely be smiling in the race car if that is the situation. But they looked pretty good in race trim, so I wouldn’t expect them to be waiting for us by any means.”
As usual, Sunday’s approach will be about endurance – and about saving brakes.
“When you get into race trim, you can’t run the brakes that hard, so you need to be efficient through the center of the corner and then at the same time if you are turning the car too much with the back and with the throttle, you will beat your tires up off the corner,” Johnson said. “It’s really a tough compromise. I’ve always rested well on Saturday nights, even with poor qualifying efforts, knowing that the race rhythm and pace is so different, and it suits me far better than qualifying here.”
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
He starts first in the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The guy he’s chasing in the Chase, point leader Brad Keselowski, starts deep in the field – 32nd. Johnson has won six times at Martinsville, including one stretch of five wins in six races. Keselowski’s next win at the half-mile will be his first.
By winning the pole, Johnson was able to pick the first pit stall, a key advantage here. Keselowski will be buried halfway back on pit road.
Few will be surprised if Johnson leaves Martinsville with the point lead.
But…
“Initial track position is going to be a problem (for Keselowski), but I as a competitor have to expect the most out of these guys I’m racing for the championship with,” Johnson said. “We see it regardless of sport. When it gets playoff time, things happen. I don’t want to put my guard down. … We are ahead of our competitors (in starting spot), but it is playoff time, and everybody brings their best stuff.”
And, strange things happen. Kurt Busch won here in 2002 starting from 36th.
It would be to Johnson’s advantage to attempt to pass Keselowski early in the race and drop him a lap behind. It’s clearly an idea that holds merit.
“I haven’t had time to think about it from that angle,” Johnson said. “Of course, if you can get any Chaser a lap down, and then put them in the situation where they’re not the Lucky Dog, would be fantastic. So that will definitely be a priority, but I’m not going to do anything stupid, lap five, that would affect the outcome of the race to try to make that happen. But, if we can, I’ll definitely be smiling in the race car if that is the situation. But they looked pretty good in race trim, so I wouldn’t expect them to be waiting for us by any means.”
As usual, Sunday’s approach will be about endurance – and about saving brakes.
“When you get into race trim, you can’t run the brakes that hard, so you need to be efficient through the center of the corner and then at the same time if you are turning the car too much with the back and with the throttle, you will beat your tires up off the corner,” Johnson said. “It’s really a tough compromise. I’ve always rested well on Saturday nights, even with poor qualifying efforts, knowing that the race rhythm and pace is so different, and it suits me far better than qualifying here.”
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
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