NASCAR: January 2008 Archives

Jimmie Johnson crushed the competition for DRIVER OF THE YEAR – 2007, much like he trampled his rivals on the way to his second-straight NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Championship.

It was also Johnson’s second-consecutive title in the United States most prestigious award in auto racing because the voting is done by an elite panel of journalists and broadcasters from coast-to-coast. The California-born driver becomes only the third driver to achieve this honor after Darrell Waltrip (1981-1982) and teammate, Jeff Gordon (1997-1998)

"I am truly humbled to be honored as Driver of the Year. I appreciate this award and the recognition from the press,” said Johnson. He added “they watch every race and for them to think I did the best job is awesome!"

Driving the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports Johnson had ten wins, including four out of the last five-races during the crucial Chase to the Cup. In the last quarter Johnson (who went on to beat his teammate, Jeff Gordon for his second-straight, Nextel Cup Title) he went on a tear, winning four-in-row. Not only was he a winner, but, he consistently finished in top-ten in two-thirds of all the points races this year.

About the only surprise was that the vote, while conclusive, wasn’t unanimous. In the year-end ballot each panelist votes for only one candidate. Johnson tallied 14 votes, while Champ Car champion, Sebastien Bourdais, earned two votes, the World of Outlaws’ - Donny Schatz - and Carl Edwards, a Cup regular and Busch Series champion, also received one vote apiece.

Barry Schmoyer, President of the Driver of the Year Foundation, said “it’s hard to imagine that, in the long history of the award, there have been only three repeat winners. That shows two things, (1) the level of competition on the track and (2) the integrity of the panel in trying to rate drivers from many forms of four wheel racing
against one another.”

Starting its’ 42nd year, the DRIVER OF THE YEAR title is unique. A panel of 18 leading journalists from across the U.S. determined the winner in a secret ballot. Earlier this year there was quarterly voting where points are awarded on a declining 9, 6, 4,3,2,1 basis.

Johnson, who also won the fourth quarter ballot, will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at a later date.