Tim's Two Cents-December 24

With Jimmie Johnson being named AP Male Athlete of the Year on Monday, he has solidified a well-deserved honor.  It is the first time that a race car driver has won the award.  The four time defending Sprint Cup Series champion is among the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.  During his career recently, Johnson has made late season runs each of the last few years.  Let me also say that I find it kind of funny that a race car driver is considered an athlete.  The most strenuous thing they ever do is drive at super high speeds and step on the gas pedal really hard.

On a similar note, I don't think I will ever fully understand the NASCAR points system.  I think the Chase is a good thing for the sport.  It certainly helps to create interest throughout the entire season.

Turning back to Johnson, when he wins he has a knack for doing so in commanding fashion.  In his career, he has had 47 wins in the Sprint Cup Series, 180 top ten finishes and 23 pole positions won.  He also drives for Hendrick Motorsports, which is considered to be the top team in NASCAR, like the New York Yankees in baseball.

I don't know what's going to happen in 2010, but as long as Johnson is performing at a high level, the sky's the limit with him.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Edhubbard under CC-BY License