Johnson poised to take his seat in racing history

1. It's going to happen. So where will Jimmie Johnson's four consecutive championships rank in terms of the greatest accomplishments in NASCAR history?

David Caraviello: It's up there, no question. I'd have say it's the third-most impressive thing anyone has ever done in this sport, behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt's shared mark of seven championships, and the King's untouchable record of 200 career race wins. Johnson might have a shot at the first one, but not the second.

Duane Cross: It'll be one of the Mount Rushmore stats of the sport -- right there with seven championships and 200 wins. And I won't quantify it with an asterisk; he's excelled under the rules set forth by the sanctioning body. And he's done it with a lot of class. The sport and the fans should shout his name as an example of how a champion should act.

Dave Rodman: It's big. But unfortunately it's one of those things that will be hard to quantify, comparatively, because of the different formats and all the other differences we're faced with when comparing different eras -- but definitely big.

David Caraviello: Oh, the heck with "different eras." Heck, in NASCAR three years ago was a different era. That doesn't keep NFL fans from comparing coaches and quarterbacks. Leaning on the "different eras" excuse is a crutch. Take a stand, Rodman!

Dave Rodman: It'll take him being done -- with this streak, that is -- to truly quantify it. But hear, hear, Duane, Kurt Busch said it best: "It's his time, so appreciate it for what it is." I'm of the mind that it's tough to do what he's doing in this era -- so if he's able to "equal" the marks of seven championships, his accomplishment would earn a little extra respect.

Won four the books

Jimmie Johnson's four championships have come with the old car, a split season and the new car.

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David Caraviello: Duane, I would agree. There are a ton of fans out there who think the guy is arrogant and entitled because of one cell phone commercial he did a few years back. Give me a break. Yeah, and Tiger Woods really drives a Buick. Please. Having been around him a bit, Johnson is nothing of the sort. And don't give me this "product of the Chase" stuff, either -- he's earned it.

Duane Cross: The thing about Johnson's four championships -- they have come with the old car, a split season and the new car. I think Chad Knaus & Co. have done a remarkable job keeping everyone focused on the prize. I couldn't care less if Jimmie isn't cut from the cloth of the good ol' boys of the early years of the sport -- or even the 1980s. Fact is, the NFL doesn't have the same flavor, neither does the NBA or big-league baseball. Times change. Jimmie Johnson is the epitome of what young drivers should aspire to be -- whether that comes across in a public persona or not.

David Caraviello: And Dave, we still cannot let you get away that easily. Johnson is already doing what no one in NASCAR has ever done. That merits consideration on its own. We're talking about here and now. So let's have your list. And don't tell me Ricky Rudd's streak of 16 years with a race win is your No. 1!

Dave Rodman: If he wins four consecutive championships in this day and time, it would be the most significant thing done in the sport. If you want to talk about why the others fall short -- cancel the other two topics.

David Caraviello: Whoa. Rodman brings out the big club. Bigger than 200 race wins, something no driver will ever touch? Really?

Dave Rodman: If you were one of three cars that could win -- well -- you could still screw it up. But what J.J. is doing right now, to the caliber of talent he, Chad Knaus and his team are doing it to, is the most significant, no question.

Duane Cross: Yes -- it is bigger than 200 wins, which is an inflated number because of a) the number of races in a week that were held back in the day, and b) the inconsistent competition fields in the good ol' days. Yeah, 200 wins look pretty -- but it's not like Richard Petty was picking off the cream of the crop each time the green flag fell.

David Caraviello: Well, that was a "different era" so to speak, when many guys didn't run full time and sponsorship money was kind of a revolutionary thing. But don't blame Richard because the starting fields were hit-and-miss back then, or because guys like David Pearson didn't run every race. That is a substantial mark. Like Johnson's four straight titles, nothing was given to him. He still won those events, regardless of the circumstances surrounding them.

Dave Rodman: In many, many ways The King is the standard. You can't minimize his accomplishments and I'm certainly not trying to. In a lot of ways the stick-and-ball comparisons do work in racing. But being able to consistently handle a couple of the best drivers in the sport's history, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, certainly counts for a lot.

Duane Cross: I'm not trying to minimize Petty's accomplishments, just putting them into perspective. No one will touch 200 wins; no driver may reach 100 because of the way the sport has evolved -- but four consecutive championships in today's NASCAR is the standard against which every driver will be measured.

David Caraviello: The King's 200 wins ... that's the sport's equivalent to Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. Did he face some meatball pitchers some days? Of course. Was there the range and variety of pitching talent available today? No way. But it's still the standard.

Dave Rodman: Rick Hendrick's 48 team, right now, looks to be on target to rank with anything the Yankees, Packers, Celtics or Canadiens ever accomplished.

David Caraviello: The Yankees are working on what, 27 championships? Les Habitantes have 24. The Celtics have 17. Rick still has a ways to go.

Duane Cross: This will be Rick's 12th NASCAR championship.

Dave Rodman: Twelve in 25 years sounds like a 50 percent championship percentage. That is mighty stout.

David Caraviello: Come on. Only Cup counts. I don't think the Yankees count titles by their Triple-A franchise in their overall tally.

Duane Cross: No, not just Cup -- he's winning at the highest level in the sport, which is NASCAR. It's Hendrick Motorsports, not "Terry Labonte/Jeff Gordon/Jimmie Johnson Motorsports."

David Caraviello: So what, now you're trying to tell me his three Truck titles should count? Come on.

Duane Cross: I think when we're talking about Hendrick Motorsports, yes -- because it's the organization.

David Caraviello: Has the Celtics' D-League affiliate ever won a title? Make that 18 championships in Beantown then, baby! Um, no.

Dave Rodman: I wish we would have stopped five comments ago.

David Caraviello: For Duane's sake, I believe you're right. (Continued)