Happy Hour: Mind games

Here's a question for you: What do you think Brian France will be rooting for this weekend at Talladega?

Jimmie Johnson finishing on the lead lap or Jimmie Johnson getting caught in the Big One?

Let's get to the mailbag:

Hendrick this, Hendrick that

I don't pretend to understand the complexities of the relationship between individual teams under a "team umbrella" but common sense tells me that Jr. should be able to consistently field a top 10 car each week? The other three Hendrick cars do. How is it possible that a team with this many resources can't get it right and what do you guess they will do about it looking toward next year?

Ed Nies

One of the byproducts of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s struggles is that it's highlighted the reality that simply having a good car isn't enough. In other words, Jimmie Johnson isn't doing it on car alone.

Regarding Junior, I've never been one of those who believe he will win a championship. That said, he's clearly a better driver than he's shown this season. But sometimes things just get in your head and prevent you from doing what you've already done.

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Look at Rick Ankiel, who was on his way to becoming the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff when he suddenly lost the ability to throw a strike. Ankiel never lost his capability to throw a strike, but he did lose the ability to.

This is where I think Junior is right now. He has the capability to succeed; he just doesn't have it in his head that he's able to. And unfortunately for him, there's no moving to the outfield, as Ankiel wound up doing.

Jay, where is all this Hendrick dominance I keep hearing about? The 48 runs up front, the 88 in the rear, the other two not dominate, the 14 and 39 surely are not.

Back when Earnhardt was winning we didn't hear about all the RCR dominance, just Earnhardt. So let's tell it like it is – it's the Johnson dominance.

Johnny Finley
Laurens, S.C.

You make an interesting point, Johnny, though I would direct you to the current standings where the top four all drive Hendrick equipment. It's also worth noting that five of the 12 Chase drivers are in Hendrick cars.

Back when Earnhardt was winning his titles, Richard Childress Racing was Dale Earnhardt. There were no other cars in that stable. And while Earnhardt may have been dominant, RCR wasn't winning 50 percent of the races, as Hendrick (along with satellite Stewart Haas Racing) has this season.

Why is everyone so harsh on Jimmie for winning? All season I heard complaints about the champion should have the most wins or they should give more points for winning and then when someone starts winning all the races, they get pissed.

Rob Sila
Orlando, Fla.

It should also be noted, Rob, that Jimmie Johnson has 45 bonus points in the Chase – no one else has more than 30 – meaning he's racing aggressively enough to get to and stay at the front more than anyone else.

When are you guys gonna stop kissing JJ's [butt]? No comparison to Tiger Woods. Woods, like MJ or Lebron dominate on athletic ability. Johnson is good, no doubt about it, but his success is as much a part of the Hendricks' wealth as anything else.

Put him with Ganassi or Yates and let's see the same results. Money doesn't make Tiger, MJ or Lebron better.

Which brings me to my point. Overwhelming numbers of fans aren't complaining because they don't realize JJ's "greatness." It's because they realize that he is the successful product of a system that is leaning hard toward the haves. NASCAR culture is rooted in the have nots rooting for guys like themselves. NASCAR fans want to be able to root for an underdog who has a real chance at success. They’re turned off by richness buying it.

Zach Hall
Kaiserslautern, Germany

I'm not buying it, Zach. Team sports – and NASCAR is very much a team sport – is about having the right pieces of the puzzle in place, and that takes money. MJ didn't win a title until Pippen and Grant arrived. Without them, no six rings and MJ is Dominique Wilkins.

(And MJ fans, before you rip me a new one, I grew up a Bulls fans loving – LOVING! – Michael Jordan.)

The comparison to Tiger works because both he and Johnson dominate their respective sports, yet one is a huge draw, while the other appears to be a turn off. I don't think people tuning out Johnson has anything to do with the haves and have nots. Fans are fans, and fans love Tiger Woods and the New York Yankees. Both are clearly haves.

I think it has more to do with the entertainment value. While Johnson wins in spectacular amounts, he doesn't win spectacularly and he doesn't have a rival, both of which diminish his star power. Quite simply, Johnson is Roger Federer on wheels, and while Federer seems like a great guy, he's not moving the needle.

Getting it right

I'm watching the Martinsville race right now and it just dawned on me that the Chase got the correct 12 drivers. Watching the crawler at the top of the screen every car in the top 10 is a Chase car. It seems like it has been this way every Chase race. Rarely, has a chase car been out of the top 15.

I think the Chase is a great thing for NASCAR and I believe it works in picking the best 12 drivers and lets them race for a championship. (I say this as a Tony fan who would be walking away with the cup if there was no Chase).

Ben Saylor
Gainesville, Fla.

One thing I would add, Ben, is that every year there has been a surprise in the Chase. Kurt Busch came out of nowhere to win it in 2004. Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin were both rookies when they finished third in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Many people didn't think Clint Bowyer belonged in the Chase in 2007 when he finished third, and last year Greg Biffle started the Chase with two straight wins en route to his third-place finish.

This year it's been Juan Pablo Montoya, who would still be every bit of a championship contender if not for the poor finish in Charlotte.

The lesson here is that 10-12 drivers is the perfect number because it rewards those teams that improve the most.

This is also worth keeping in mind next September when making Chase predictions: Who will be the surprise?

Points racing

Montoya got bad mouthed the last four or five races before the Chase started because he was points racing. When do we start bagging on Jimmie for using the "regular season" as a test session and points racing for the Chase?

I know everyone else can do it too but that team has done it for years now. I think Carl Edwards even alluded to it in his interview at Lowes.

Chad

I don't know if I would characterize what Jimmie Johnson does during the regular season as "points racing," but I do get your point. This is one reason why I've been advocating a significant bonus for the points leader entering the Chase. If winning the "regular season" came with a 50- or 100-point cushion going into the playoff, it would incentivize teams to take more risk and push harder during the first 26 races. Sure you could still coast in, but it will come at a cost.

Last call …

Hello Jay, I keep reading columns where journalists keep asking the question "why is everyone down on JJ?"

Undoubtedly some people are JJ haters but mostly I believe fans are down on the system. I do not believe JJ or Knaus or Hendrick had a hand in choosing the last 10 tracks but they certainly aren't complaining either.

Some people are using the poor attendance and ratings as proof that JJ is unpopular. The reality is that the poor attendance and ratings are products of a "perfect storm" of factors including the economy, weather, JJ's predictable dominance over the last several tracks, the COT, and a bushel basket full of other reasons which have been bandied about.

However, the most significant factor which comes to my mind are the moves that NASCAR made to its product when stock car racing was becoming the "in" sport. NASCAR made a number of changes in an attempt to appease the new comers, advertisers and networks. Now that the enthusiasm is waning and the casual fan is gravitating back toward more mainstream sports the traditional fan feels disenfranchised with the current sport.

I am afraid that NASCAR is in for a long (read decade-plus) period of contraction as they cut down the season, the number of tracks, purses, team budgets, etc. in order to salvage the fan base which appears to have been forgotten. If I am right, I think the fans ultimately win.

Kent Swanson
Arkansas City, Kan.