Jimmie Johnson’s Implausible Inevitable

Three-peat is a perverse phrase. The assumption mingles arrogance and performance. The intent mixes expectations and talent. Three-peats are not simple. They require a previous champion’s concentration and an unproven contender’s motivation.

On Sunday, Jimmie Johnson scored his third consecutive Nextel Cup. During the Championship Chase, Johnson recorded three wins, six top five finishes, and eight top ten finishes. “I could go race again next week and start the season and go for four,” he said. “It's on our minds. It's not that we're chasing a number, we just know what we're capable of. We know we can do better. It's a search to do the best we can.”

During his career, Johnson has accrued 40 victories, 101 top five finishes, and 156 top ten finishes. In 2006, Johnson accrued 5 wins, 13 top five finishes, and 24 top ten finishes. In 2007, Johnson acquired 10 wins, 20 top five finishes, and 24 top ten finishes. In 2008, Johnson amassed 7 wins, 15 top five finishes, and 22 top ten finishes.

Since NASCAR’s inception, twenty-eight titans have scored titles. Only ten have repeated. Only two have three-peated. Johnson’s concentration is evident. His motivation is omnipresent.