Archive for November, 2009

If you’ve been wondering why I haven’t been posting too much about NASCAR lately, it’s because you’ve already heard all of this. It’s like watching re-runs of CSI over and over again.

Jimmie Johnson now stands alone as the only driver in NASCAR’s 61-year history to win four straight Cup championships. After once again dismissing the competition with relative ease, the question now becomes how long can he keep his reign going?

Yay, Woot! Woohoo! Whatever. Announcers talk about how he has accomplished the “impossible” by winning FOUR championships in a row, especially because competition is so tough. TOUGH? Are they serious?

I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I think his success in the Chase has nothing to do with “beating the competition” and a hell of a lot to do with “beating the current crappy car”. It’s obvious that Chad and Jimmie have figured out something that no one else has figured out.

Sure, they don’t win every week, but they are consistent. Other teams have engines blowing up, people smashing into them (sometimes on purpose), and all sorts of problems. But not that #48 team. They come off of a mediocre, yet consistent, season and win four of the ten Chase races. Good on them. Right?

NASCAR has changed the car to make it “more competitive for everyone”, but Johnson wins. NASCAR makes rules (and selectively enforces them) to make the sport “more competitive for everyone”, but Johnson wins.

I congratulate Jimmie Johnson and his team. They’ve figured something out that no one else has, and more power to them for doing so. That doesn’t mean I will enjoy watching the sport much longer.

Three years ago, Johnson won the Cup, and all was good in the world. Two years ago, Johnson won the Cup, and all was good in the world. Last year, Johnson won again and I started to lose interest in watching the “competition”. This year, it was as boring as anything I have ever watched in my life. I don’t watch the Williams sisters play Tennis for the same reason.

Will I still be watching next year? It’s too soon to tell.