2012 Review:
Another year, another run at the Sprint Cup title for five-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
It didn't start beautifully, with Johnson getting turned on the second lap of the season's first event, the Daytona 500.
From there, though, Johnson finished the next eight races inside the top 12, and won owner Rick Hendrick's 200th race in the Southern 500 at Darlington. Johnson ended up with five victories in 2012, including two in the Chase, and was the points leader with two races remaining.
However, a blown tire at Phoenix and transmission trouble in the finale at Homestead clinched the title for Brad Keselowski. Johnson would finish third overall in the standings.
2013 Preview:
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus remain one of the top driver/crew chief pairings in the sport. Together they've won 58 of Johnson's whopping 60 races in the Sprint Cup Series. They've won on every type of track.
And they have won five championships together.
Yeah, It's safe to say the No.48 team will be a contender yet again, especially considering they have never finished worse than sixth in the points standings.
It also doesn't hurt that Hendrick Motorsports has a knack for handling getting a jump on the competition when a new car style is introduced. They won the first five races in the old Car of Tomorrow when it was implemented part-time in 2007.
2013 Prediction:
Now we're getting into the drivers who we'll be taking about late into the season as the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Jimmie Johnson has been a beast since entering into NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. The numbers speak for themselves.
These guys are the only team in the sport who can fail to win a championship in two consecutive seasons and people begin to wonder if something is wrong. The expectations for Johnson are near ridiculous.
Well, he won't fulfill those expectations again this season, postponing the "six-pack" celebration for another calendar year.
But it certainly won't be without a fight.
J-Mac's 2013 Top 12 So Far:
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Jeff Gordon
8. Tony Stewart
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11. Greg Biffle
12. Carl Edwards
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