Second time around

Sophs Johnson, Newman on markedly different paths

If there is any talk of a "sophomore slump" for Jimmie Johnson this season, consider it nothing more than unsubstantiated rumors.

As a rookie in 2002, Johnson made a big splash by finishing 15th in the Daytona 500. And while he followed that up with a 28th-place showing at Rockingham, Johnson went 12 consecutive races before again finishing outside the top 10 in back-to-back races. Twenty-one top-10s, including three wins, in 36 starts ultimately paved the way for a fifth-place finish in the points.

This season, he's back at it: six top-10s in 12 races, including a rain-shortened victory at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600 -- and he's fifth in points. Moreover, Johnson has been in the top 10 in points for 46 consecutive weeks, the longest streak in Winston Cup.

Johnson also dominated in winning The Winston on May 17, so technically he's on a two-race winning streak as the Winston Cup series rolls into Dover. And that's not good news for the competition; Johnson won both races at the one-mile concrete oval last year.

"You never know what's going to happen," Johnson says of the roll his team is on. "I'm very fortunate to drive this Lowe's No. 48 car and to know that every week, every track that we pull up to, that I can be a contender and that we have a shot at winning. That's a rare feeling that only a few guys in the sport have and I'm one of those guys who has that opportunity.

"Obviously, we ran really well at The Winston. We were probably the fastest car out there. And then in the 600, we were fast in practices and one of the cars to beat the whole time. Coming from the back [Johnson had to start 43rd after changing the engine] was going to be a challenge, but we felt we were going to be one of those guys [to have a chance of winning] if we used our heads all day long."

Meanwhile, fellow second-year driver Ryan Newman is struggling to find his driving line. After a sixth-place finish in the points in 2002, Newman is mired in 24th -- 608 points behind leader Matt Kenseth. Newman averaged a 14th-place finish last year, but has fallen to 22nd-place this season with only three top-10s and one win.

"Everyone has had their tail whipped at some time," Newman said at Charlotte. "Our definitely has taken a beating lately, but you have to get back up and try harder."

It's fair to note Newman also struggled through the first 12 races of 2002 before turning his season around with 17 top-10 finishes during the final 24 races.

"Some of the stuff that's happened to us this year is our own fault and then there's some that's been racing incidents," Newman said. "Sure, I think back and say I'd have done this or that different, but I am a race car driver and I am out there to do just that -- race."

Johnson also is becoming deft at playing the mental game. Trailing Kenseth by 247 points, Johnson praises the points leader, but also subtly reminds the front-runner that there's always room for improvement for those doing the chasing.

"One thing I've got to give credit to the whole No. 17 [Kenseth] team. They don't seem like they're paying any attention to the points and it's way too early to do that yet. They're still racing hard for the win. Matt Kenseth is aggressive and you can see it on the track. That's the key.

"It's arguable whether or not the No. 40 [Sterling Marlin] started to be protective as the season went on [in 2002]. In some cases it looked like it and others it didn't. But you can't blame a team for trying to be conservative and trying to protect what they've built all year long. As the year wears on, that's going to be the challenge for whomever is leading the points -- to try and stay aggressive and not let the competition catch you and get an advantage on you."

Spoken like a seasoned sophomore.

B. Duane Cross is a senior producer for SI.com.

Got a comment or question for Duane? Click here.

 

Related information

Stories

Previous B. Duane Cross Columns

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video