Johnson will never let them see him sweat
Jimmie Johnson’s start to the NASCAR season is not worthy of a seventime champion.
How bad is it? He has just one top-10 finish in five races and goes to Martinsville Speedway mired in a career-worst 28-race losing streak.
But Johnson can take heart in this: He has nine victories at Martinsville, most among active drivers, and despite his slump must be considered a favorite for today’s race at the Virginia short track.
He laughed Saturday at the reminder of his losing streak, which dates to Dover, Delaware, last June, and pointed out he did indeed win three Cup races in 2017.
If fans of Johnson’s No. 48 team are freaking out — especially since Lowe’s, the only primary sponsor he’s had in the Cup, is leaving at the end of the season — Johnson is not. The reality is the most consistent and successful driver of his generation is the veteran during a Hendrick Motorsports reorganization and Chevrolet’s launch of an on-track Camaro.
There’s a lot of stuff going on and it’s going to take time to work out the kinks.
“At the end of last year, there were layers of high frustration and some embarrassment that we just couldn’t get things going in the right direction,” Johnson said Saturday. “This year, we’ve improved every week and have seen great strides. I’m very optimistic that success is out there in front of us and around the corner.
“But, through it all, I live in the moment and understand where I am and where our team is and what we’re doing as a company. I know the journey that we’re on. I know what’s happening internally to build a better product and to better use our resources to build a better think tank. There’s a journey of growth going on right now at the company.”
Through five races this season, Johnson sits 18th in the standings.
QUALIFYING: Weather washed out Saturday’s qualifying, and Martin Truex Jr. will start today from the pole at Martinsville Speedway.
There was no qualifying session because of a wintry mix that moved through the Virginia area and halted the Truck Series race after just 23 laps Saturday.