When Jimmie Johnson rolled off five consecutive Cup Series championships from 2006-2010 NASCAR altered how it distributes points following the 2011 season. And when the Hendrick Motorsports driver won a sixth title in 2013, the sanctioning body radically overhauled the playoff structure by increasing the field and incorporating eliminations.
Is NASCAR trying to ‘Jimmie-proof’ the Cup Series playoffs?
Although some speculate otherwise, Jimmie Johnson doesn’t believe NASCAR is trying to prevent him from winning championships.
Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images
Whether by coincidence or not, NASCAR is again implementing significant changes in the aftermath of Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 team winning another championship. On Monday, NASCAR announced all national series races would consist of three segments along with additional opportunities for drivers to earn bonus points throughout the season.
So is NASCAR attempting to “Jimmie-proof” its playoffs, thereby creating greater parity within the sport? That belief is one many fans have suggested.
“I’m not bigger than NASCAR,” Johnson said Tuesday on the first day of NASCAR’s preseason media tour in downtown Charlotte, N.C. “There is no way they are changing rules based on the No. 48. This sport is a lot bigger than one person.”
Similar to many drivers, Johnson is in favor of the changes NASCAR designed to urge drivers at a high level for the entirety of a race and a way to make a longer race more appealing to television viewers. Not only can drivers collect points for finishing in the top 10 during the first two segments, they can also carry bonus points for winning during the regular season past the first playoff round and into the semifinal bracket.
The new format was a result of a collaboration between NASCAR officials, drivers, track promoters, and television partners Fox and NBC Sports.
“As a competitor, it’s tough to say that’s going to change much of what I do,” Johnson said. “It might take people from being at that 100 percent mark to making them a little bit more desperate in given situations, and create more storylines. It touches a lot of areas that needed to be addressed in our sport right now and the way things are evolving.”
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