Johnson Not the Only Factor in Kansas

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In: NASCAR Cup Series News

All is right in the Kansas City sports world. The Royals and Sporting KC have winning records, the Chiefs have a new coach, a new quarterback and the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and Jimmie Johnson is atop the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings heading into Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.

And while Johnson may not be the local favorite for everyone, odds are the crowd at the 1.5-mile oval will see the No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet SS up front at some point this weekend. Johnson owns the series’ best driver rating (119.5 average of a possible 150 points). In 13 starts, he has only two finishes outside the top-10 (April 2004 and 2006) and has led laps in every race but four (April 2001, 2004, 2010, 2011).

Among active drivers, Johnson is the leader on tracks 1 to 2 miles in length. He owns 92 top-five and 138 top-10 finishes in 197 races. His two wins (October 2008 and 2011) at Kansas have come at opportune times in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. One of the most memorable was Johnson’s win in October 2008, when he led 124 of 267 laps, holding off a hard-charging Carl Edwards on the final lap to earn his 38th career win. He would move into a 10-point lead in the championship standings on his way to a then-record-tying, third consecutive Sprint Cup title.

This weekend’s event at the recently repaved Kansas track may not be predictable, much like no one can predict how the Royals and Sporting KC will end the season, or whether the Chiefs will shore up their offensive or defensive line with their No. 1 pick. But one thing is for sure – Johnson will be a factor at Kansas.

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