Driver Stats: Jimmie Johnson

The lack of testing will make Daytona interesting. But Jimmie Johnson himself said testing a lot last year after his slow start gave his season some momentum, which carried through the Chase into his third straight championship. So what will this year bring for him? Hard to tell, but he should do well--he always does. 

Johnson entered Cup racing in 2001, and since beginning a full schedule in 2002 has never finished the season outside the top 5 and is the only driver to accomplish that to date. He has 101 top 10's, 156 top 5's, 28 poles and 40 wins. He drives for arguably the best team in the business, and has solid sponsorship in the Lowe's #48 Chevy. 

All of this should make me thrilled to see history being made, as it was when he became the only other driver besides Cale Yarborough to win three straight championships. I've even seen Jimmie win, at Las Vegas in 2007 and Phoenix last year. But for some reason I just can't get excited about Jimmie. His crew chief is undeniably bright--but to me he's unlikable. Jimmie is a handsome, talented guy who does a lot for charities with his foundation, and he seems likable enough. Maybe it's just that nobody likes the smartest kid in the room--Jimmie Johnson may just be too perfect. But his fan base is growing because of his repeated success on the track, and I'm not going to bet against results.