Decades from now, when my many years from being born yet grandson reads the record books, there will be names that will jump out at him as he scans the page. Petty, Pearson, Yarborough, Waltrip, Earnhardt and Gordon will no doubt shine as the dominators of their era.
Then as his eyes scan down the page, another name will appear, having blocked out a complete section of space for himself. There is now no doubt Jimmie Johnson, by virtue of four consecutive NASCAR Cup championships, has carved out his niche in auto racing history. No one’s done it before, and I am by no means certain that it will done again anytime soon.
As if that’s not enough, consider that with this championship, 
Johnson has entered into the rarified air of the legends. Even if they hadn’t occurred in consecutive years, just by virtue of four titles, the pride of El Cajon, California has just surpassed the likes Lee Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, and he now stands alongside teammate Jeff Gordon, with only Richard “The King” Petty and Dale “The Intimidator” Earnhardt ahead of him.
That’s pretty select company.
So is he among the greatest ever? Johnson begins to enter the conversation, no question about it. As great as they were, Jimmie Johnson has accomplished four times over what Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace accomplished once.
With 47 wins, Johnson ranks 13th all time. Every name above him is a legend. With his first win of 2010, Johnson will tie pioneer luminary Herb Thomas. By next season’s end, he will have likely passed Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson, and he may even be within striking distance of Lee Petty and Rusty Wallace. Whether or not Johnson catches the likes of Earnhardt and Gordon is more than likely dependent on how long he sticks around.
Yes, the racing gods have smiled on Jimmie Johnson. If you look at his early career, it is entirely possible he could have become another off-road ace like Robby Gordon. Instead, at some point he captured the fancy of Jeff Gordon and landed a job with the premier racing team of NASCAR: Hendrick Motorsports. Having great equipment, great mentors and a wicked smart genius like Chad Knaus will no doubt give your early career a jump start.
At the same time, let us remember that somewhere long the line, you have to get it done behind the wheel. With no disrespect whatsoever intended, racing in Hendrick equipment did not translate to instant NASCAR glory for the likes of Kenny Schrader, Casey Mears, Joe Nemechek, Brian Vickers, or Dale Earnhardt Jr. The point here is not just any old Joe can jump in a Hendrick car and make it a winner, let alone some of the best racers in the world- which all of these guys are.
It’s true his career in the Busch Series was nothing to write home 
about. On the other hand, he’s been a winner in the SCORE Trophy Truck Series, the Mickey Thompson Stadium Truck Series, and the ASA ACDelco Challenge Series. Heck, you could put Johnson in the Yugo Back 40 Racing Series and he’d be a winner there.
Is Jimmie Johnson the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car? Has his achievements surpassed the triple digit winning ways of The King and the Silver Fox? Has he surpassed Earnhardt in greatness? Honestly, we’ll never truly know. Only Petty and Pearson got to trade paint in their prime. Petty was past his when Earnhardt came along, and Gordon only began picking up as the “Man In Black” started to slow down a bit. Johnson arrived at a time when most of the top drivers of today were just getting started, and time will only tell where Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer land.
Truthfully, the comparisons to the legends are a disservice to all involved. They belong to different eras. Can you really compare Babe Ruth to Hank Aaron? Brett Favre to Johnny U.? Bob Cousy to Magic? You really can’t.
As for Johnson, how much higher his place in history goes will be helped by sustaining his success. Personally, I’d like to see him pick up a win or two on a road course, and it’s going to take another three to five years of running like this to catch the greatest of the great.
It will be interesting to see what the future brings. Will the field start to catch Jimmie Johnson? Will his “Drive For Five” encounter the same potholes Gordon’s has?
Know this- it’s like Coach Bum Phillips said when he was asked if the great Earl Campbell was in a class by himself. Phillips opined ” I don’t know, but the roll call’s pretty short.”
Jimmie Johnson has nothing to prove. He’s made history, and he’ll likely keep making it. The greatest ever? I can’t say. One of the greats? Absolutely.
PHOTO CREDITS- Johnson’s first win and Johnson with Matt Kenseth by Robert Laberge/ Getty Images. Johnson, Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon by Sherryl Creekmore/ NASCAR. Johnson with Cale Yarborough by Rusty Jarrett/ Getty Images for NASCAR.
{ 9 comments }
There are so many variables to consider when saying this guy or that guy is the greatest you really can’t compare anyone and be truely accurate. Wins or championships or top ten finishes or how many accidents you are in or caused what is the critera. The only guys you can accurately compare are teammates with the same cars and resources who run the same races and compare stats. An average driver with a corvette will beat a great driver in a Cobalt everytime.
@Keith. I submit we’ll never really know. I don’t care if its NASCAR, the NFL, NCAA football, MLB or the NBA. Of course, using your measuring sitck, I’d say that ain’t chopped liver Johnson’s outrunning.
The greatest 10 race Chump ever. I’ll agree with that. I hope those record books your grandson reads include ***. Yea, yea, he’s doing it under the system that’s in place. That doesn’t prove he’s the greatest. He, just like the Chase, is just a cheap version of a Championship. Thanks Brian, you a$$.
@Mike. Unless I’m mistaken, Johnson still keeps 3 of the 4 titles even with the dinosaur (I mean classic) points system. That’s still pretty doggone good. Just sayin’. MY guess is the ex- Mrs. France and Mr. Mayfield feel the same way you do. I’m not real cool with the profanity there, but I’m feelin’ charitable, and I’m too tired to make a big deal of it. Thanks for chiming in anyway. You’re alright, I don’t care what they say about ya.
I still have my doubts about Johnson. I still find it odd that he was so average at best in the Busch series. I know you have pointed out Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were not great in the Busch series either. However I disagree with that. Jeff Gordon was young and tore up a lot of equipment, which he did his 1st year at Hendrick too, but he won more than one race and he had 11 poles one year. That shows a lot of potenial. Tony Stewart was also running, and winning a championship, in the IRL while racing in Busch. He sure has won a few Busch races since he moved to Cup. It just seems odd to me. I really must admit to not knowing anything about the off-road trucks, but I think it would require a very different type of skill. I guess I will just always dout him with Chad’s questionable past just like I doubt Tom Brady and his questionable coach. I do however agree it is impossible to judge “best of all time” in any sport. The times are just to different. O.K. I’ll shut up now.
@Joe. What will be interesting to watch is how history plays out. Will the dominance continue? What happens if Chad leaves a la Ray Evernham? It’s like a debate I got into with David Yeazell at Bleacher Report. Naming Johnson among the greats does not diminish what they accomplished. All I would submit is that Johnson gets added to the conversation, a position that, in my opinion, be buttressed by continued winning and getting up to the level of careers wins that the greatest of the great are. To me, what in part, makes Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, Yarborough and Gordon – in particular- special, is they sustained success across eras.
I don’t think NASCAR, as it is now, will stay that way a lot longer. There’s hints out there that the wing will go away and some other things address thet CoT. What will happen with Jimmie then? Will it be a bump in the road? Or will it really throw his game for a loop?
I agree it will be interesting if Chad were to leave or if there are changes to the car. I sure hope there are changes to the car. If Jimmie is able to continue at a high rate with those changes then you would have to put him on the list with those other greats. Only time will tell. I saw your discussion with David Yeazell on Bleacher Report. You both made some good points. I guess this is one of those issues that is fun to debate.
@Jim. Sorry, I really didn’t consider A** as profanity. Next time I’ll use Butthead is you prefer. I guess France just brings out the badness in me.
BTW, Chad signed this weekend till 2015 and the Chase won’t go away so get ready for more JJ. At least if they change the car in a Major way, and they continue to dominate, there will more weight to the “greatest” argument.
@ Mike. Well, now that i think of it, it probably isn’t in the context you used it. No harm, no foul. To your second paragraph, you make a good point. Nothing EVER stays the same in ANYTHING, so we’ll see how he holds up. Life is messy.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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