Jimmie Johnson's Title Streak Officially Over

The No. 48 waits to do battle at Martinsville on October 30.

Before Jimmie Johnson came along, no one had ever won five consecutive NASCAR championships.

 

Nor had anyone won four in a row.

 

In fact, only one other driver had ever won as many as three straight Cup titles—Cale Yarborough, back in 1976-78.

 

It's all over now. 68 points behind leader Carl Edwards and with only the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining on the Sprint Cup schedule, Johnson is mathematically eliminated from the possibility of winning a sixth consecutive title.

 

There will be time for Johnson digest his unprecedented title run's place in history during the offseason. But first, Johnson must deal with the reality that it has come to an end.

 

"There's definitely disappointment," Johnson said on pit road after Sunday's race at Phoenix. "I think that will be the emotion I deal with first. And then over the offseason, I'm sure it will kick in some and reflect. I'll reflect then, but in order for us to be where we want to be next year, we've got to work very, very hard during this offseason to understand what's up, and that's not going to make it all that relaxed. So, I'm up for the challenge. This team is. My guys work so hard, and we'll learn and grow from this."

 

2011 hasn't provided the results Johnson was hoping for. He was solidly in title contention after winning the Chase race at Kansas, but things have gone downhill since that race in early October. Johnson has only two wins this season, which would be his lowest total ever since becoming a full-time Cup driver in 2002.

 

Johnson finished fourth in the final standings in his rookie season of 2002, and has never finished worse than fifth since. The No. 48 is currently fifth in the points—just two points ahead of sixth-place Matt Kenseth. He'll need a strong run on Sunday to keep that streak of top-five points finishes intact.

 

Johnson is undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers in the history of NASCAR. Now that it is at an end, his incredible title run will begin to be put into perspective.

But one thing is sure. Whether or not Johnson wins another title—or another race, for that matter—his place in NASCAR history is secure.