Conspiracy theorists like to hypothesize that the reason Jimmie Johnson has won five straight championships is because the races that comprise the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup are his best tracks. But those theorists forget – or just don’t bother to look at – the statistics because Johnson’s worst track on the circuit sits squarely in the middle of NASCAR’s 10-race playoff.
Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway is Johnson’s worst track for driver rating – a combination of on-track statistics. Of a possible 150 points, Johnson averages 83.1 in driver rating at Talladega. It’s still 10th-best among active competitors but worst compared to the remaining tracks for the five-time champ. Talladega is also Johnson’s third-worst in average finish (17.1), slightly better than only Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway at 17.5, and Richmond (Va.) International Raceway at 17.3. He has only six top-five finishes in 23 starts at Talladega, although two of those finishes were wins in April 2011 and 2006.
This year, only four points separate Johnson from Chase leader Matt Kenseth, making every position on the track and accompanying point in the standings a premium. But anything can happen at Talladega and usually does. As Johnson states, “You just hope that Lady Luck is on your side and that you make it through.”
So while the conspiracists can theorize all they want, statistics don’t lie – Talladega could prove to be a Chase buster for Johnson, and for any of the other 12 Chasers, for that matter.
TSC PR
- Erik Jones to Miss Race at Dover; Corey Heim to Drive No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota XSE - April 23, 2024
- Flowdynamics Driver Logan Williams Enjoying His Best Season Start With USAC/CRA - April 23, 2024
- Ford Performance – 2024 Dover Advance - April 23, 2024