November 18, 2008
By Kim Roberson
Kim Roberson
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Love him or hate him, Jimmie Johnson is in very elite company yesterday morning as he woke up a three time, back to back to back, Sprint Cup Champion. In the 60 years of the sport, there have been multiple three time champions, but only one other man did it consecutively: Cale Yarborough.
It was exactly 30 years ago that Cale set his mark on NASCAR history, taking the titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978.
“I’ve watched Jimmie,” Yarborough says. “He’s the kind of driver that likes to run up front. That’s the way I drove. I can see a lot of Jimmie in me.”
Photo Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR
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Johnson Holds Third Champion's Trophy
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While reaching the milestone is huge for Johnson and the 48 team, adding to the historical importance of the accomplishment is the fact that Johnson’s idol growing up was Yarborough. “I understand that I was Jimmie’s hero when he was growing up, so if he does it more power to him…I’ll be in good company. I hope he feels the same way.”
Johnson explained how he became a Yarborough fan. “You know, when I was growing up in Southern California, NASCAR was so far away. I would catch a few of the big races during the season. One of the names I did know when I was a kid was Cale's. I was a fan of Cale as a kid growing up. I just loved his stocky attitude and even in appearance. The guy just had muscles all over the place. He was someone that led his actions on track speak for themselves.”
“To find my name in the record books...to be in the company of Cale in such an elite situation (means) the world to me.”
So, why has it taken three decades to have another back-to-back-to-back champion? “Well, it's an awful difficult thing to do” explained Yarborough. "I think it may have been harder to win 'em back then than it is today because you had to compete against everybody back then. As far as it lasting 30 years, I just wonder how come it took so long for somebody to win three in a row. That was a long streak. 30 years is a long time, but I was happy to hold it.”
Johnson not only became the first driver since Yarborough to win three consecutive championships, but his crew chief, Chad Knaus, became the first crew chief ever to win three in a row.
“This team is just great. Jimmie is just a fantastic driver, Mr. Hendrick is a great person to work for, all 500 people we’ve got at Hendrick Motorsports from the engine shop to the chassis shop to aviation…they do such an incredible job and put their hearts and souls into what we do to make these race cars go fast,” smiled Knaus immediately after the race. “My guys just do a fantastic job on the race car…it’s nice to have a group of guys you work with that you trust…it’s just awesome.”
When asked about how he felt about accomplishing the three-peat, Knaus just shook his head and said “I have no idea. I just have to sit back and let it all soak in. It’s what we work for. We don’t want to do anything but race cars and win races and win championships. I’m just lucky to be able to do that.”
Johnson knew he had a car capable of doing what he needed to clinch the title from the moment he first took to the track for practice. “We had a great race car and made the most of it. From the first lap on track, I knew we had a car that was in the ballpark…I felt very good once the race started. There were a few times it was a little dicey at times, but all in all I felt I was in control of where we were on the track.”
When asked about his feeling about his teams’ accomplishment, Johnson commented “It’s the ultimate reward. We worked so hard to put ourselves in this position, and it is such a team sport and I can’t thank Knaus enough…its total teamwork and dedication.
“I can’t believe that we have been able to do it again this year. Each year has been so different. Last year racing against one of my heroes Jeff Gordon and my teammate for the championship. This year, Carl being as strong as he was, Biffle was strong, the 31 was rock solid. Every Championship is a little different, and I am so proud of my guys to continue to change and stay on top of things as we move through different types of cars, different weekends, different years, different competitors that we have had to race against. We’ve got a special group of guys and they have done an awesome job.”
While Johnson was able to tie Cale in consecutive wins, Cale still has the title of having done it faster than Johnson. It took Yarborough 90 races and 26 wins to get his three Championships, compared to Johnsons 108 races and 22 wins.
So, how will the 48 team stay motivated to come back for a potential fourth title, everyone involved says they are ready to get started.
“Yeah, we want four, why not? That's why we're here. We think with the team that we've got, the resources that we've got with Hendrick Motorsports and Team Chevrolet behind us, we can definitely go and bid for four championships in a row. Why wouldn't we? Give me a reason why not to. I think that's the mentality we've got to have,” said Knaus. “To get four championships in a row you have to get three. And we're fortunate to get three. If we buckle down and do what we need to do, we'll be in contention for our fourth championship next year. If that means I have to get up at eight o'clock tomorrow morning and go to work to do it, I'll do it.”
Jimmie agreed. “I think from a driver's standpoint I could go race again next week and start the season and go for four. From their standpoint, these guys need a break. I think every team out there has worked to the bone, and I can speak on our team's behalf. They have tested and have worked so much that they need some time off to recharge.
“There is a hunger there that we want to do more. Yes, we have accomplished more than we ever thought we would, but we are young, and there is a lot of time left in our careers, and we have this great thing going, and we don’t feel satisfied yet, and I think at the end of the day that is what is going to motivate us. These guys are awfully hungry, I’m still hungry, and we’ve got a lot of years ahead of us. “
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