Jimmie Johnson 2011 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
2010 Stats: Points Finish 1st, 6 Wins, 17 Top Five, 23 Top Tens, Average Finish 11.7, Average Running Position 9.5, Laps Led 1,315, Driver Rating 107.7
Do you want to Jimmie proof the Chase? Forget about it. He’s won the championship under different circumstances nearly every year. He won the championship with the old car, he won it in 2007 with mixed cars (both old car and COT), he won it with COT, he’s won it with the spoiler, he’s won it under different point formats and he’s won the championship from trailing behind in points.
People used to say that if Bristol or a road course was in the Chase he wouldn’t win the championship. Hate to say it but Jimmie debunked that theory. The only person who can stop Jimmie Johnson is himself, and even that is unlikely.
Jimmie Johnson is a driver who’s unparalleled in today’s NASCAR. He’s won the championship more than he’s lost it. In his 9 year career he’s only finished outside the top 2 in the point standings twice.
Strengths – Jimmie Johnson is the real deal. He’s not backing his way into multiple championships by luck. He’s winning them by being historically good.
Weaknesses – I have no plans to pick him at any regular season plate race. Johnson is also highly susceptible to mid-season slumps.
Intermediate Track Grade– A+, Are you looking for the reason why Jimmie Johnson is a five time champion? Look no further than the intermediate tracks. Nearly half the races are run on this track type and Jimmie Johnson outscored everyone last year. His closest competitor last year was Kevin Harvick and JJ outscored him by 138 points. In 2010 Johnson had the best average finish (10.1), most top fives (9), and led the most laps (552).
Flat Track Grade- A+, Johnson is as good as they come on flat tracks. He has multiple wins at all of them and is a virtual lock at Phoenix. At Indy he’s a hit or miss driver. Some times he wins and other times you’ll be sorry you picked him. He’s strong at Pocono and is second to only Denny Hamlin at the tricky triangle in terms of average finish. At New Hampshire he’s always a good pick and he won the summer race last year.
Restrictor Plate Track Grade- B, When it comes to plate racing the only time I would use Johnson is in the Talladega Chase race. His non-racing strategy really works. His average finish in that race over the last four years is 6th. By career numbers Johnson has finished in the top ten nearly 50% of the time on this track type.
Short Track Grade- A-, Last year Jimmie Johnson finally got his coveted Bristol trophy. Take that all you “Jimmie Johnson Chase Proofers”.
He’s still the man at Martinsville despite Hamlin taking the last few trophy’s. He’s won a third of the races there since he entered the scene in 2002. He’s also finished in the top ten in every race there except his first race. 17 top tens in 18 races is unprecedented.
Last year at Richmond Johnson finished 3rd and 10th.
Road Course Track Grade- A-, Jimmie Johnson has always been a good road course driver and last year he finally sealed the deal at Infineon. He was in the running for a top ten at Watkins Glen but was involved in a accident that ruined his day. In terms of career stats Johnson has 3 top fives and four top tens at both road courses.
How to use Jimmie Johnson from a Fantasy NASCAR Perspective in 2011? It’s hard to go wrong fantasy racing wise with Jimmie Johnson. In an allocation league I would use him at intermediate tracks, small flat tracks, and Martinsville.
Jimmie Johnson Stats/Loop Data
