NASCAR fans missing out on Johnson?

If you are a NASCAR conspiracy-theorist, routinely call drivers 'a joke' (whatever that means) or threaten to stop watching races on a weekly (or even daily) basis for a myriad of pointless reasons - then you may want to stop reading now and skip down to the next post, because you are not going to like what you see.

Why? because I am going to talk about Jimmie Johnson. More specifically - I am going to talk about how Johnson is, well, under appreciated by the vast majority of NASCAR fans.

I know what you're thinking; "How on earth can he defend the guy that NASCAR is cheating for

each week? The most bland and boring driver on the track...Jeff Gordon's protege?!?!"

The answer is simple - because Johnson is good. Really good, in fact, and I don't think he gets enough credit for it.

Even if he doesn't win a fourth-consecutive championship, Johnson's list of accomplishments so far in his career are nothing short of outstanding; in seven full seasons of Cup racing (plus the first 30 races of this year), Jimmie has won 45 times, has never finished outside the top-5 in the point standings, is the only driver to have never missed the Chase, and of course - there are those three consecutive Sprint Cup titles.

Those numbers might not be quite as good as Jeff Gordon's stats in his championship-winning years of 1995-2001, but they are pretty darn close, and if Johnson does indeed win that fourth-consecutive championship, then there is nobody who can deny that the No.48 team is the dominant force in the sport.

OK, so we know the guy is good, what's the point?

Point is, in any other sport, Johnson would be heralded as the premier personality - the person that fans follow with respect and admiration, even if they don't root for him.

Johnson, especially if he wins this fourth-straight championship, is to NASCAR what Tiger Woods is to golf, Valentino Rossi is to MotoGP, or what Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan were to Hockey and Basketball - dominant forces that capture the attention and respect of all fans, even those that don't necessarily want them to win each week.

I know, I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but you have to admit that the guy is a future Hall of Famer - so why shouldn't we give Johnson his due and realize that we are not just watching a team win a bunch of races and make the sport 'boring', but rather the next in a progression of great NASCAR drivers?

And just because I know you are thinking it (or hurling insults at your computer screen...or both) - no, I'm not a Jimmie Johnson fan - just a fan of good racing and good racers.

Petty and Yates Merger - Requiem for a Championship Owner

Ok, I know it has been a long time since I have posted anything here, so I figure I might as well come back with something that comes as a bit of a shock - Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that they are merging with Yates racing and switching to Ford in 2010.

It is no big surprise that Petty has decided to change manufacturers - rumor is that they had been talking to Toyota for awhile, and despite the fact that Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne will both almost certainly make the Chase, it is not like Dodge has exactly been lighting up the NASCAR world with their on-track performance of late.

No, the thing that blindsided everyone wasn't the Petty switch (although Ford wasn't really rumored to be an option for RPM, but that is beside the point) - the real shock is that Yates Racing, as we know it, is gone.

Doug Yates will continue to be with the team, but the Yates Racing name - and the organization that has been in the Cup series for 21 years and won a championship with Dale Jarrett - will be a nothing more than a memory starting in 2010.

True, it is all in the name of progress, and to be honest - I think it is a great move. Yates was struggling to turn in top-20's each week, and Petty's real weakness since the Evernham merger has been motors, so the two organizations really fit well together.

Still, it is depressing to see another organization fall by the wayside, especially one with such a long history in the sport. Over the past year or so we have seen names like Earnhardt and Evernham fade into the distance as far as ownership is concerned, but this is the first time a championship winning organization (or at least a recent winner) has been forced to lose control through a "merger", which is really NASCAR's polite way of saying "buyout".

Like I said, though, this is a fantastic move in the long run. Doug Yates can concentrate on what he does best - building motors - and the Petty-Gillett contingent can pull in the sponsors and keep popular drivers like Kahne and Elliott Sadler behind the wheel. Everyone wins, especially Ford - who now go from only having one legitimate organization to two. The blue oval boys truly hit this one out of the park.

I suppose it is a merciful end for Yates Racing, who has been fielding lackluster cars and drivers for years now, but part of me remembers the days of Rudd and Jarrett winning races with all that Yates horsepower under the hood, and it is disappointing to realize that while those legendary motors may continue on, a once-proud organization is gone for good.

The Doctor Does it Again

There is a lot out there for race fans to watch - stock cars, open wheel, sports car racing and even things like drag racing and monster trucks - but if you are a fan of things that go fast and haven't checked out World Superbike Championship or MotoGP yet, you are missing out on the best racing anywhere on the planet.

Both of motorcycle's premier racing series are packed with action, but over the past few months, MotoGP has stolen the show, highlighted by the insanely intense battle between motorcycle legend Valentino Rossi and his young upstart of a teammate, Jorge Lorenzo.

The two were at it again this past weekend at the Sachsenring in Germany - a treacherous, but absolutely stunning track not far from Dresden - battling right up to the checkered flag, where The Doctor once again bested the youngster, but only by a few thousandths of a second.

This race didn't feature the thrilling last-lap antics we saw at Catalyuna a few races ago, but the two Yamaha teammates raced each other just as hard. Plus there was plenty of other great racing, too, between Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa - and all four riders were in the mix up until the last few laps.

Both premier motorcycle series are on this weekend; MotoGP at Donington Park, and World Superbike at Brno - a track I like even more than Sachsenring...there's something about those East European tracks with the elevations and flowing corners - and Brno features an uphill version of Laguna Seca's famous corkscrew, but I digress...

One way or the other, if you have yet to check out the action in WSBK or MotoGP - this weekend is the perfect time to start - you won't be disappointed. And be sure to get a preview of this weekend's racing action from my friends at MotoGPMatters.com

Jeremy, meet Danica. Danica, meet Jeremy

That title just about sums up the two things I hate to talk about most when it comes to NASCAR - Jeremy Mayfield and Danica Patrick.

Last month I gave my opinion on the Danica situation, so I won't bore you by re-hashing it all again. That leaves Jeremy...don't worry, I'll make it quick.

The History: Jeremy's NASCAR-administered drug test that he took at Darlington came back positive. Jeremy got suspended. He went to court and got re-instated. Then he tested positive again, at which point he accused NASCAR of doctoring the results to incriminate him.

Oh, and then there is the whole situation with the stepmother. She filed a sworn affidavit that she witnessed Jeremy using Meth on at least 30 different occasions, and even watched him cook up his own batches (industrious young fellow), to which Jeremy responded with multiple accusations, including that Lisa (the step mom) was being bribed by NASCAR, and that she was responsible for shooting his dad (??), surrounding the whole barrage with plenty of expletives for added emphasis, of course.

Now NASCAR and Jeremy are battling it out in court - fighting over the suspension, or money...or who knows what.

Sounds like an episode of Jerry Springer, doesn't it? Well, that is pretty much what it is.

It certainly has nothing to do with racing, yet the media is obsessed; it seems like every time you check the NASCAR page on a sports website, there is a new headline about Jeremy (or Danica, if it is a slow Jeremy day).

I'm not saying I'm better than anybody else - I'm writing this right now, and last week I was asked to call in to one of my radio stations to do an entire segment on the situation, but that doesn't mean I enjoy talking about it.

I've been asked my opinion multiple times, and this is what I always say: NASCAR is not out to "get" anybody, least of all Jeremy Mayfield. They are only concerned about safety.

NASCAR hasn't released a list of 'banned' substances because there is no way they can - just about any drug can have side effects that impair the senses if taken improperly.

If they were forced to release a list, there are only two real options; they would either have to ban everything, or else they end up giving a prescription (or over-the-counter) drug abuser a free pass.

Bottom line - hopefully Jeremy shuts up, NASCAR buttons up their drug-testing procedures, and we can all go back to talking about racing again.

Johnson could Steal the Spotlight in Chicagoland

No restrictor plates this time, but we'll see another weekend of night racing, as the Sprint Cup series races Saturday night under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway.

Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick both have two wins at the Joliet track, and even though Harvick has been having a dismal season, both he and Stewart need to be considered favorites.

Also at the top of the list is Jimmie Johnson. Despite the fact that the No.48 has never won a Windy City race, it is only a matter of time before he does. Johnson has an impressive track record in Joliet, and just got beat out last year by Kyle Busch for the win.

If you want some help with your fantasy NASCAR roster, you can check out all of my picks for Chicagoland over at Suite101.com

Wreckin' is Racin' at Daytona

Saturday night at Daytona was pretty much everything we have come to expect this season from an event at one of NASCAR's two restrictor plate tracks; another race, and another wreck at the checkered flag.

Just like a few weeks ago at Talladega, the finish of the Coke Zero 400 was filled with smoke and sparks and fans on their feet as a last-lap wreck added a heavy dose of excitement to Tony Stewart's second win of the season.

With the exact same scenario playing out two consecutive plate races - the flood gates have already begun to open, with the media condemning Daytona and Talladega for being too dangerous and pleading, as Mark Aumann does in his latest NASCAR.com article, that something must be done to prevent the same result in the future.

Now, as exciting as they may be, I agree that there is nothing good about a wreck. Good cars get destroyed and drivers can get hurt - and when it comes down to it, I'll take a photo-finish over a last lap wreck 10 times out of 10.

The thing I can't understand, though, is why everyone is so surprised. There have been big wrecks at Daytona and Talladega ever since guys have been racing there. When you have 43 drivers running inches apart at 190 miles an hour with a ton of money on the line - stuff is going to happen. It is nothing we haven't seen before, and we will definitely see it in the future.

But this week we will see all kinds of articles and opinions saying how things at Daytona and Talladega have finally gone too far, and something needs to be done.

But what? People will be quick to raise questions, but woefully short on actual answers or suggestions - mostly because there really aren't any.

Some may say NASCAR needs to get rid of restrictor plates. Then we will just see cars wrecking at 215 mph instead of 190. We've already been down that road; it didn't work then, and it won't work today.

Others will say to knock down the banking at Daytona and Talladega. Theoretically, that might actually help, but let's try to be realistic; there is no way tracks are going to spend that much money because it might prevent a wreck. Besides, the two last-lap incidents this year have been on the front stretch, anyway.

The real answer resides with the drivers themselves. Both the Edwards and Busch wrecks were caused by one thing - blocking. The size and speed of the track may have made things worse, but if the drivers weren't blocking so hard, no contact would have been made and no wreck would have happened.

Both Edwards and Busch were faced with a decision - do they hold their line and finish second or third, or block for the win and risk wrecking? They chose to block, and they both wrecked. It was within their control - they made the decision.

So while the critics criticize and the experts expound - the answer ultimately lies with nobody but the drivers behind the wheel. If they want to stop last lap wrecks, all they have to do is race clean.

Until then, we shouldn't be surprised to see more of the same when we get to Talladega in the Chase.

Kyle Busch, Kenseth Looking to Turn Things Around in Daytona

Whether it is at Daytona or Talladega, there is nothing in NASCAR that keeps fans on the edge of their seats quite like restrictor-plate racing, and tomorrow night's Coke Zero 400 promises to be even more exciting, since we will be throwing double-file restarts in for the first time with the plates on.

But while everyone knows that three-wide racing at Daytona is exciting, nobody is quite sure who is going to win this one, because winning a plate race is as much about strategy and survival as it is about being fast.

Jeff Gordon (left) has won 6 times at Daytona, and is always a favorite to win. Plus, this weekend will be the perfect opportunity for Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth to get back on track, as well ass defending race winner Kyle Busch, who for as dominant as he has been at times, hasn't been able to find Victory Lane very much recently in any of NASCAR's three big divisions.

Those are my top drivers to look out for this weekend, but if you want to see my full list of teams that could make some fireworks on the 4th - check out my NASCAR fantasy picks for Daytona at Suite101.

Plus, look for my NASCAR podcast previewing this weekend's race to show up in the next few hours - we'll hear from Mark Martin.

Logano's Win is no Fluke

There is a saying that "It's better to be lucky than good", and that was certainly true for Joey Logano Sunday at New Hampshire.

The rookie took a big gamble staying out while crew chief Greg Zipadelli did a rain-dance in the pits, and it worked wonders - as the race was called for wet weather, giving Logano the first win of his Sprint Cup career.

The good news is that this win was exactly what Logano and his team needed to build some

confidence after getting off to a shaky start. The bad news is that, whenever rain shortens a NASCAR race, there are those out there that don't consider it a "real win", and that was certainly the case with the No. 20 team.

While its true that Logano probably would not have won if it had gone the full distance, the easy thing to forget is what his car looked like halfway though the race - with two flat tires and a damaged quarter panel.

After contact with David Reutimann took out a left-rear tire and sent the No.20 car spinning, Logano found himself a lap down just trying to salvage a halfway decent finish.

"We had a left rear cut down right before we made that last long green flag run," Logano said after the race. "When that happened, I thought we were done. I was like, the day just went bad, just try to finish it off and get the best finish we can."

But the team didn't give up. They got the car fixed and back on the track, and then Logano put himself in position to get the lucky dog to get back on the lead lap - which, of course, ultimately led to the gamble and the win.

So yeah, Logano won without the fastest car; he took a gamble and got lucky. But that doesn't mean that the win was a fluke - a lot of effort went into it, that effort just wasn't as visible since it happened during the race instead of at the end.

Rain or no, Logano deserved the victory. And one way or the other, he took home the trophy at the end of the day - and a win is a win, no matter how you get them.

Valentino Rossi Scores 100th Win

Racing is filled with accomplishments and victories; every weekend someone overcomes the odds and finds a way to get to take the checkered flag. But while racing and winning is a relatively common experience, it is rare that someone reaches a true milestone - as Valentino Rossi did Saturday, winning his 100th GP race in Assen, becoming the only rider other than the great Giacomo Agostini to reach the century mark.

Oddly enough, the race itself was pretty boring; there was a great scrap for sixth between James Toseland and a group of riders that included Nicky Hayden and Randy De Puniet, but other than that, it was a walk in the park for Rossi - who put on a technical racing clinic at the vaunted Dutch circuit, handily beating teammate Jorge Lorenzo by over 5 seconds.

But while there was no thrilling race to the finish line like we saw between Rossi and Lorenzo in Catalunya, this win was no less dramatic. It was a fitting conclusion, actually - The Doctor displaying the same type of dominance and technical mastery that has made him arguably the best motorcycle racer of all time, and doing so at the oldest and most historic circuit in motorcycle racing.

And in true Rossi fashion, there was a special celebration in the works, as Vale and his supporters unrolled an enormous banner on the track (it must have been 100 feet long) with photos chronicling all 99 of his previous wins (making, of course, the perfect photo background for win 100).

Rossi needs 23 more victories to move past Agostini into first-place on the all-time GP victory list, a feat which he will no doubt be able to accomplish, and if you have never watched him race before, take the opportunity to - otherwise, you'll have missed out on seeing a legend.

For a full recap of the race, visit my friends over at MotoGPMatters.com

Hamlin, Stewart top picks for New Hampshire - Fantasy NASCAR picks

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series (as well as the Nationwide series) is running at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday - the place that Scotty Wazz and I covered our first-ever race back in 2001 - that is a story for another post, though (and there is plenty to tell).

Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart are the top picks for your Fantasy NASCAR team at Loudon, but who are the sleepers for this weekend?

I'll give you a hint - one of the dark-horse candidates for New Hampshire is to the right (Martin Truex, Jr.), but for the rest, you'll have to check out my official NASCAR Fantasy Picks for New Hampshire on Suite101.com

And be sure to listen to Friday's NASCAR podcast - several teams are thinking of changing manufacturers - I'll tell you what teams might be making a move, and where they will be going!