On Deck: Johnson poised for fourth Cup title
Jimmie Johnson is poised to do the unthinkable - win a fourth-straight NASCAR points title. Yet few are willing to put him with the all-time greats.
After claiming his third in a row last year I felt comfortable placing him him in the upper tier of NASCAR's elite - in fact he's on the outside of the second row next to Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon and behind seven-time driving champions Kyle Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt.
Seven Cup titles is a longshot but of the current drivers he's got the best chance.
Johnson has won 44 races since 2002 - most of any driver over the span - Gordon and Tony Stewart are next with 24 each.
The No. 48 team heads into Kansas - only 10 points behind leader, elder statesman and fellow teammate Mark Martin.
Martin would be the feel-good story of the season if he were able to keep Johnson in the rear-view mirror, but I don't see it happening.
Johnson's average finish over the final 10 races is between 5.1 and 5.3.
