Johnson, Knaus already thinking about 2008

admin · 11-20-2007, 05:50 PM

Nextel Cup championship team starts working on next season before champagne pops

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- As Jimmie Johnson made his celebratory trip around the track, crew chief Chad Knaus fumbled with papers that had fallen from his notebook, too distracted to celebrate.

"I wanted to make sure I had everything, so none of the competitors could get them," Knaus said.

Two Nextel Cup championships down, and Johnson and Knaus are already thinking about a third. Based on their dedication and dominance, there's no reason to believe they won't contend for it next season.

After all, Johnson wasn't even out of his car following Sunday's title-clinching race at Homestead-Miami Speedway when Knaus was looking toward 2008.

"It's been a phenomenal ride," he said. "Sad it's over, but I can't wait for Daytona now. When you're fortunate enough to be with a group of guys and have an organization behind you like we've got right now, all you want to do is just keep going. I think there are more wins out there for us. I think there are more championships out there for us."

As does everyone else.

Johnson didn't back into a second straight title. He wrested it from teammate Jeff Gordon and never looked back, turning a tight championship chase into a runaway.

He was 68 points out after Gordon's win at Charlotte in the fifth race of the Chase for the championship, then reeled off four wins in the final five races to knock Gordon out of contention. When he finally finished his quiet Sunday drive at Homestead with a seventh-place finish, Johnson had a 77-point advantage over Gordon -- the largest in the four seasons of the Chase.

With four wins and eight top 10s in the Chase, Johnson posted an untouchable average finish of 5.0. Gordon, who won twice in the Chase and averaged a 5.1 finish, was dumbfounded.

"I'll be honest with you, I'll take a 5.1 average for the rest of my career in the Chase," the four-time series champion said. "I'm pretty sure that will win a few championships."

Just not this year, not against a team that can't seem to do anything wrong.

In winning 10 races this season -- the first double-digit total since Gordon did it in 1998 -- Johnson and Knaus proved they aren't afraid to be aggressive. So confident in their skill, they know they can gamble and go for wins. And if it backfires, the end result probably won't be too bad.

The two never stop pushing, even when Johnson had taken command of the standings and could have coasted to the title. Johnson went hard after wins in Texas and Phoenix when settling for second place would have been just fine.

"We're pretty fierce competitors and what we want to do is win races," Knaus said. "When we knew that was our only way to get back into the championship hunt was to win races, it was nice."
Now that it's over, neither will relent.

Oh, sure, they partied till the sun came up in South Beach early Monday, and they'll do it again in New York City next week for the season-ending awards banquet. But make no mistake, this team is deep into its 2008 preparations and their goal of joining Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only driver to win three straight titles.

"You can't lose sight of the fact that next year is coming. There is a next season," Knaus said. "We have to make sure we're on our game, and I want everybody to know we're on our game when we get there."

Car owner Rick Hendrick was along for the ride the last time a driver dominated NASCAR this way, when Gordon won 40 races and three titles in four seasons. He saw firsthand the kind of commitment and drive it took, and knows this current combination of Johnson and Knaus can rival that run.

"The fact that (Johnson) goes Monday morning and works out after a race on Sunday, he's as determined as anybody I've ever seen sit down in a race car," Hendrick said. "Chad's the same way. Chad is like always thinking. We fly home together at night, and it's 1 o'clock in the morning, he's got his computer out, and he's dissecting the race.

"I just don't see anything that is going to slow Jimmie down. He just gets better every time I see him get in the car."

Hendrick was no fool when it came to Gordon, locking him into the organization with a lifetime contract. Now he's willing to start the same contract talks with Johnson, who is signed through 2010.

"I want to do whatever I can to keep it together," he said. "When you've got someone that you really enjoy being with and see that they've got unlimited potential, and he and Chad have great chemistry, I try to look down the road as far as they feel comfortable.

"When you see somebody that has it all from talent of how to handle sponsors, of how to represent the company and has unbelievable talent and can make the organization better, you want to keep them in the fold. That's what I have here with these two guys."

And that's bad news for everybody else in NASCAR.

That's Racin' | 11/20/2007 | Johnson, Knaus already <br /> thinking about 2008

Scooters · 11-20-2007, 06:38 PM

I really wish these articles would say "lifetime contract with the Hendrick organization" rather than just letting it go at "lifetime contract"

So many fans think that Jeff will be driving when he's 87 years old.

24girl · 11-21-2007, 05:35 AM

Originally Posted by Scooters

I really wish these articles would say "lifetime contract with the Hendrick organization" rather than just letting it go at "lifetime contract"

So many fans think that Jeff will be driving when he's 87 years old.

LMAO...NOT!!

wopher · 11-21-2007, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by 24girl

LMAO...NOT!!

Who knows he might be racing the 2 wheel racing at 87.........
Wheelchair racing

Scooters · 11-21-2007, 08:04 AM

Oh its true. I read two other racing boards and some of the less ... um ... educated fans had the idea that the lifetime contract meant that Jeff would be in the car as long as he lives. They didn't realize that he has a driving contract separate from his lifetime contract.

24girl · 11-21-2007, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Scooters

Oh its true. I read two other racing boards and some of the less ... um ... educated fans had the idea that the lifetime contract meant that Jeff would be in the car as long as he lives. They didn't realize that he has a driving contract separate from his lifetime contract.

Ah jeeze!!

11-20-2007, 05:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
admin Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,364	Johnson, Knaus already thinking about 2008 Nextel Cup championship team starts working on next season before champagne pops HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- As Jimmie Johnson made his celebratory trip around the track, crew chief Chad Knaus fumbled with papers that had fallen from his notebook, too distracted to celebrate. "I wanted to make sure I had everything, so none of the competitors could get them," Knaus said. Two Nextel Cup championships down, and Johnson and Knaus are already thinking about a third. Based on their dedication and dominance, there's no reason to believe they won't contend for it next season. After all, Johnson wasn't even out of his car following Sunday's title-clinching race at Homestead-Miami Speedway when Knaus was looking toward 2008. "It's been a phenomenal ride," he said. "Sad it's over, but I can't wait for Daytona now. When you're fortunate enough to be with a group of guys and have an organization behind you like we've got right now, all you want to do is just keep going. I think there are more wins out there for us. I think there are more championships out there for us." As does everyone else. Johnson didn't back into a second straight title. He wrested it from teammate Jeff Gordon and never looked back, turning a tight championship chase into a runaway. He was 68 points out after Gordon's win at Charlotte in the fifth race of the Chase for the championship, then reeled off four wins in the final five races to knock Gordon out of contention. When he finally finished his quiet Sunday drive at Homestead with a seventh-place finish, Johnson had a 77-point advantage over Gordon -- the largest in the four seasons of the Chase. With four wins and eight top 10s in the Chase, Johnson posted an untouchable average finish of 5.0. Gordon, who won twice in the Chase and averaged a 5.1 finish, was dumbfounded. "I'll be honest with you, I'll take a 5.1 average for the rest of my career in the Chase," the four-time series champion said. "I'm pretty sure that will win a few championships." Just not this year, not against a team that can't seem to do anything wrong. In winning 10 races this season -- the first double-digit total since Gordon did it in 1998 -- Johnson and Knaus proved they aren't afraid to be aggressive. So confident in their skill, they know they can gamble and go for wins. And if it backfires, the end result probably won't be too bad. The two never stop pushing, even when Johnson had taken command of the standings and could have coasted to the title. Johnson went hard after wins in Texas and Phoenix when settling for second place would have been just fine. "We're pretty fierce competitors and what we want to do is win races," Knaus said. "When we knew that was our only way to get back into the championship hunt was to win races, it was nice." Now that it's over, neither will relent. Oh, sure, they partied till the sun came up in South Beach early Monday, and they'll do it again in New York City next week for the season-ending awards banquet. But make no mistake, this team is deep into its 2008 preparations and their goal of joining Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only driver to win three straight titles. "You can't lose sight of the fact that next year is coming. There is a next season," Knaus said. "We have to make sure we're on our game, and I want everybody to know we're on our game when we get there." Car owner Rick Hendrick was along for the ride the last time a driver dominated NASCAR this way, when Gordon won 40 races and three titles in four seasons. He saw firsthand the kind of commitment and drive it took, and knows this current combination of Johnson and Knaus can rival that run. "The fact that (Johnson) goes Monday morning and works out after a race on Sunday, he's as determined as anybody I've ever seen sit down in a race car," Hendrick said. "Chad's the same way. Chad is like always thinking. We fly home together at night, and it's 1 o'clock in the morning, he's got his computer out, and he's dissecting the race. "I just don't see anything that is going to slow Jimmie down. He just gets better every time I see him get in the car." Hendrick was no fool when it came to Gordon, locking him into the organization with a lifetime contract. Now he's willing to start the same contract talks with Johnson, who is signed through 2010. "I want to do whatever I can to keep it together," he said. "When you've got someone that you really enjoy being with and see that they've got unlimited potential, and he and Chad have great chemistry, I try to look down the road as far as they feel comfortable. "When you see somebody that has it all from talent of how to handle sponsors, of how to represent the company and has unbelievable talent and can make the organization better, you want to keep them in the fold. That's what I have here with these two guys." And that's bad news for everybody else in NASCAR. That's Racin' \| 11/20/2007 \| Johnson, Knaus already <br /> thinking about 2008

11-20-2007, 06:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Scooters VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,451	I really wish these articles would say "lifetime contract with the Hendrick organization" rather than just letting it go at "lifetime contract" So many fans think that Jeff will be driving when he's 87 years old. __________________ Have you ever felt like doing this to someone?

11-21-2007, 08:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
Scooters VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,451	Oh its true. I read two other racing boards and some of the less ... um ... educated fans had the idea that the lifetime contract meant that Jeff would be in the car as long as he lives. They didn't realize that he has a driving contract separate from his lifetime contract. __________________ Have you ever felt like doing this to someone?

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