NASCAR’s competitive formula often changes annually. Even the elite-level teams are not immune to the inevitable dropoff.
But during the past four years there has been one significant constant in Nextel Cup: Jimmie Johnson’s ability to contend for victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Johnson has been so dominant at Lowe’s – coincidentally the company that serves as his primary sponsor – it might seem it’s rigged.
Since winning the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 at the 1.5-mile oval in Concord, N.C., Johnson has finished first or second at Lowe’s in the 10 ensuing races, including the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
In 2004 and 2005, Johnson won the Coca-Cola 600 and the fall points race at Lowe’s, marking the first back-to-back season sweep in track history. A year ago, he was second to Kasey Kahne in the two points races, and last weekend, the defending series champion was runner-up to Kevin Harvick in the all-star race.
“It’s been a great place for us,” Johnson said about Lowe’s in Tuesday’s national teleconference. “We had a great performance in the all-star race. I think that we’ll be even better with our 600 car and the package we’re taking over there. So I’m really, really excited for the race coming up.”
Kahne, also a guest on Tuesday’s teleconference, said there is something special about Johnson and Lowe’s – besides the sponsorships agreement.
“At the end of the race, he always seems to find his way to the front,” Kahne said. “He’s just really strong there. He understands the racetrack. His team, they understand it, too. He’ll be definitely the guy that you have to beat this weekend if you want to win the race. I don’t think there’s anybody else that is as strong as him there, for sure.”
Broken Kahne
Kahne, who had a series-high six wins last year, is winless and in 30th place in the standings. In Tuesday’s national teleconference, he was asked if he’s being forced to change his driving style to climb out of a slump.
“Oh, definitely,” he said. “You have to change your driving style. When things aren’t as good, if you don’t change your driving style, you just crash.”
Johnson said he and others are surprised to see the extent of Kahne’s struggles.
“I thought he was going to be a contender for the championship and (be a factor in races) like he was last year,” Johnson said. “I know they’re working hard, trying to sort out their stuff. I think it’s been a shock to myself, and I’d say most of the racing community, especially to them.
“I know they’re not real happy with where they are right now and are working hard to fix that.”
Improving A.J.
Former Champ Car star A.J. Allmendinger appears to be figuring out stock-car racing – or at least the stock-truck racing.
The former Thornton resident was runner-up in last Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lowe’s. In a green-white-checkered finish, Allmendinger ended .244 of a second behind winner Ron Hornaday Jr., who has been racing stock cars longer than Allmen- dinger, 25, has been alive.
“Man, it felt great to run second in the truck race,” Allmen- dinger said. “Mainly, it was just nice to be competitive again.”
Allmendinger, who won last year’s Grand Prix of Denver, has qualified for five of six truck races and is 22nd in the standings. Not bad for a rookie.
He and his first-year Toyota team still seek to improve in Nextel Cup, where Allmendinger has qualified for just four of 11 races.
COT set for 2008
NASCAR announced Tuesday it will use the Car of Tomorrow exclusively in 2008, a year ahead of schedule. The COT was to run 16 races this season and be phased into competition during the next two years.
SPOTLIGHT: JOEY LOGANO
Youngster holds off Harvick
Logano has yet to compete in a national NASCAR series, but the 16-year-old beat one of the world’s best stock-car drivers Sunday in the inaugural NASCAR race at the new Iowa Speedway. Logano, from Middletown, Conn., won his third Grand National Division race in four career starts in the Featherlite Coaches 200. Finishing second was Kevin Harvick, the winner of Saturday’s Nextel All-Star Challenge in Concord, N.C. Harvick also won the season-opening Daytona 500. “To beat him today is pretty cool,” Logano, a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, said in a release. “He just won a million bucks. That’s as cool as it gets, in my book.” Harvick started from the pole, with Logano qualifying second in the 42-car field. Harvick led the first 38 laps before Logano claimed his first lead. By lap 166, the two traded 12 leads. “We had a great race with Logano,” Harvick said.
ON THE MOVE: JOHNNY SAUTER
Impressive All-Star finish
Sauter rallied to qualify for last weekend’s All-Star Challenge, then gained the most spots in the star-studded field en route to a sixth-place finish. Sauter ended second in the Nextel Open to qualify for the Challenge, where he started 20th in the 21-car field. He was 11th in the first segment, seventh in the second and ninth after the third. Sauter finished 3.27 seconds behind winner Kevin Harvick. Sauter is 33rd in the regular-season standings, having started 10 of 11 races.
THIS WEEK’S RACE: COCA-COLA 600
Season’s longest race on tap
3:30 p.m., MDT, Sunday, Fox
Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. (1.5 miles tri-oval). Banking, corners 24 degrees, straightaways 5 degrees.
Distance: 600 miles, 400 laps
Records: Qualifying – Elliott Sadler (193.22 mph), Oct. 13, 2005; race – Bobby Labonte (151.95 mph), May 29, 1995.
Last year: Kasey Kahne won on his way to sweeping the two points races at Lowe’s.
JIMMIE JOHNSON
By the numbers at Lowe’s Motor Speedway:
11: Starts
2: Poles
5: Wins
8: Top fives
10: Top 10s
1: DNF
5.81: Average finish
121: Driver rating
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
