Jimmie Johnson embraces quest to win record-tying 7th NASCAR championship

Whenever the subject was broached Jimmie Johnson would demur, not wanting to discuss the hypothetical of winning a record-tying seventh NASCAR championship until it became a distinct possibility.

But in an unusual act that goes against Johnson’s nature of not wanting to draw undue attention to himself, he revealed a special helmet for the opening race of the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff.

The blue helmet features a design with a large picture of Richard Petty on the back right and Dale Earnhardt’s image on the back left. In between the two images is a message stenciled in bright green: “Chasing 7.”

What the custom scheme signifies Johnson’s dogged pursuit to win a record-tying seventh Sprint Cup title, a mark he would then share with Petty and Earnhardt. Johnson’s motive wasn’t meant as a demonstration that he justifies a place alongside NASCAR immortality, moreso as a form of inspiration.

“Everybody has different things in their mind that gets them going in the morning or continues to motivate them throughout the course of the day,” said Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief. “Jimmie, I think it’s not only a motivation for him to have that stuff on his helmet, I also think it’s a show of respect to the people that he is chasing.

“I think it’s a pretty cool thing.”

As one of four title finalists in the Chase’s single-race championship round, Johnson can tie Petty and Earnhardt by finishing better than Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Neither Edwards nor Logano have a championship on their respective résumés, while Busch is both the defending series champ and Homestead race winner.

For Johnson, this opportunity represents the first chance he’s had to equal Petty and Earnhardt since winning his last title series crown in 2013. Each of the past two years, Johnson never advanced past the Chase’s second round. He was a first round elimination last season, and fell in the second round in 2014.

That Johnson’s failed to have much playoff success the past two years some would argue is by design. The popular theory is NASCAR intentionally crafted the knockout, elimination-style Chase to stymie dynasties such as Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team -- which had won consecutive championships from 2006-2010 and added another in 2013 -- from over-lording the sport.

Whether by happenstance or NASCAR’s machinations, until this year Johnson hasn’t sniffed a seventh championship. He easily transferred out of the first round, won at Charlotte to automatically qualify for the semifinal round, then won Oct. 30 at Martinsville Speedway to secure a spot in Sunday’s finale.

A deep playoff run by Johnson is normally not surprising, however this year is the exception. Hendrick experienced a lackluster regular season that saw Johnson and his three teammates go a stretch of races without leading any laps and finishing in the top 10.

Specifically related to the No. 48 team, the performance had fallen to such a degree team owner Rick Hendrick even considered the nearly once-unthinkable: splitting Johnson and Knaus, who’ve been paired together since 2002 and whose relationship is such a bedrock it is the envy of many within the garage. If there is an equivalent in the realm of sports to the Johnson-Knaus relationship, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots might be the best comparison.

“When you have two guys that have been so good and you try to decide is it time, and this year we started off really well, and then we hit a lull in the summer, we asked ourselves then, is this time, do we need to make a change?” Hendrick said.

Ultimately Hendrick opted against any changes, a decision that proved wise. Spurred by an increased focus on improving its cars throughout the organization, the No. 48 team has resumed its customary role as the team to beat in the Chase. That resurgence not only sees Johnson collecting checkered flags again, but also leading large chunks of laps

“Johnson is at the very top of the game, and you have to respect that,” said Roger Penske, Logano’s car owner. “We certainly do from a Team Penske perspective. ... I take my hat off. I think he’s the best.”

While a seventh title would have Johnson next to Petty and Earnhardt statistically, his status as one of NASCAR’s greats is already firmly solidified. His 79 career wins is seventh on the all-time list, an accomplishment made all the more impressive in scope because it’s occurred in the most competitive era of the sport.

“The most underrated record in sports is Jimmie’s five [championships] in a row,” said Kyle Petty, Richard’s son who’s a retired driver and current NBC Sports analyst. “Nobody talks about it, nobody gives him credit for it the way we would if the New York Yankees won five in a row.

“It’s amazing to watch. As someone who grew watching Richard Petty and all he and that crew went through, I know how hard it is to win championships. So to win five in a row like that is pretty spectacular.”

Typical of someone who doesn’t engage in any behavior that could be construed as boisterous, Johnson prefers not to discuss where he ranks among NASCAR’s greats.

But because the 41-year-old has no plans to retire any time soon, it’s entirely conceivable that by the time be does step away, Johnson could be in a class of his own when it comes to championships. Also on the table is passing mentor and former teammate Jeff Gordon’s mark of 93 wins, the most in NASCAR’s modern era (1972-present).

All that can wait, though. What has Johnson’s sole attention is the possibilities ahead on Sunday.

“I’m not running from it, I’m not hiding from it,” Johnson said of winning a seventh title. “It’s just truthfully, right now for me to do my job and the preparation and all the stuff that goes into racing and being competitive, it’s just not top of mind.

“It’s more about winning the race.”