Some interesting quotes throughout the '07 season

So what were you thinking just before the season started way back in Daytona Beach? What were your hopes? What were your fears? Who was your pick to win the 2007 Nextel Cup Championship?

So much changes during the season. Of course, one reason for that is the length of the season. Still, it might be hard to remember everything that happened leading up to the season, and all that has unfolded since the green flag was unfurled last February. It has been quite a journey, and Jimmie Johnson has had the best ride.

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Johnson was certainly among the candidates to win the championship in 2007, but I have always believed that repeating is extremely difficult, more so in Nextel Cup competition than most other sports. I narrowed my pre-season picks to two, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth. When pushed to make a final decision, I went with Gordon. I went back and looked at the races from 2006; I compared some of Gordon's results from previous seasons where he failed to win the championship. I also added in the determination factor. Jeff Gordon is extremely competitive. I truly believed there would be extra motivation for the 24 bunch to follow-up the Johnson/Chad Knaus championship with one of their own.

Gordon started the season with a little controversy of his own at Daytona. Remember? Something about the car not being totally legal in post-race inspection but not being illegal enough to change anything except his starting position in the Daytona 500. That irked a lot of people in the garage, especially when you recall that NASCAR really sacked some teams during Speedweeks. As we have discussed during the past two weeks, Team Hendrick started strong and Gordon was in great shape after 26 races.

I enjoyed listening to team owner Rick Hendrick talk about Gordon's season. No matter what happens in Homestead, I think the quote I will take with me into the offseason is what Hendrick said about the year Gordon had through the race at Richmond and that he deserved the championship.

"I'm not a big fan of the Chase," Hendrick said. "I think with the season he's had, the wins he has and the points and the lead he had [after 26 races], Jeff Gordon should be champion. But we are where we are."

If it was a 26-race season, Gordon would have won the championship. But now when you look at what Jimmie Johnson has done the last few weeks, Hendrick can rest assured he has two championship caliber teams. One of them is going to win the Nextel Cup and I do not believe it is a lock for Johnson. I feel comfortable saying he doesn't either, but, man, what a season for those guys.

That doesn't take away from the fact I really thought Kenseth and company were a legitimate threat to win their second championship. And despite the fact, or maybe in spite of it, that crew chief Robbie Reiser got benched for a few races after infractions in Daytona, Kenseth won early. But in the Chase, Kenseth and company never really found their stride until it was too late.

I remember that earlier season conversation with Reiser. He had to stay back at the shop while his guys were racing out west. Racing, and winning, at California Speedway -- that was important and impressive. Reiser is a strong leader and his leadership skills showed that weekend. This season we have seen teams perform well when their crew chief was not at the track. In fact, don't forget NASCAR amended their suspension policy in the middle of the season. The decision was made to bar those serving their suspension from the property where the race was being held. The move came after Tony Eury Jr. was spotted hanging out in a motor coach just outside the track in New Hampshire. Eury was not the first guy to test the ground rules when it came to being put in "time-out," but he was one of the last. (Continued)