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When Jimmie Johnson got lapped four or five times this year at Las Vegas, we all thought it was a fluke. Then he went to Atlanta, where we thought he would win, and the same thing happened, although he received the “Lucky Dog” award a couple of times. Chad Knaus told me that in 2007, when the No. 48 team won the championship, they spent all their time testing the COT on short tracks and weren’t prepared for the mile-and-a-half tracks. But since Jimmie Johnson is such a great driver, why couldn’t he compensate for his terrible car and his team’s lack of attention to these intermediate tracks? It’s because it’s now more about car than driver.

When Dale Jarrett drove the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, they struggled at North Wilkesboro. It was the same story when they put Bobby Labonte in the car. Finally, Jimmy Makar decided the problem wasn’t the driver, and with testing at the track, the team improved. Once again, car.

I firmly believe the championship will be won by a team and driver collectively and won’t be determined by one driver’s ability. Case in point – Kyle Busch. A lot of us would be lying if we said we weren’t putting our money on Busch heading into the first Chase race. But he broke a swaybar at Loudon and blew a motor last weekend at Dover. That is not the driver’s fault. It’s a team sport and Busch’s car has failed him thus far in the Chase.

But he and 11 other guys are still mathematically in the hunt. So, walk through the garage, look under the hoods and under the cars and find the best car out there. Then you’ve probably found your next Sprint Cup champion.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Kenny Wallace is the driver of the No. 28 U.S. Border Patrol Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, in which he has amassed nine career wins and 10 pole positions and finished in the top 10 in series points every full season he has competed. He also keeps the mood light and humorous each week as an analyst on NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED. Currently in his 19th year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Wallace finished runner-up in the points in 1991 and is one of only four drivers to have won the Most Popular Driver award multiple times. He also has vast experience in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series over a span of 18 years and cites qualifying for and competing in this year’s 50th running of the Daytona 500 to be the highlight of his season. To learn more about Wallace or his Nationwide Series sponsor, please visit KennyWallace.com or BorderPatrol.gov

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