Johnson-Gordon spat real feud, or just frustration?

His father Gary taught him how to keep his composure and take care of his equipment. His mentor Rick Johnson provided him with sponsorship and advice during his motorcycle days. Former GM Racing executive Herb Fishel paved the way for his transition from off-road trucks to stock cars. Stan and Randy Herzog gave him a ride in the American Speed Association, and later the series now known as the Nationwide tour. Rick Hendrick signed him to drive on NASCAR's premier circuit. The driver himself took notes, learned how to dress and act to impress potential sponsors, and even drew up a business plan that mapped out his future.

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There are plenty of people who assisted Jimmie Johnson in his climb from unknown to four-time champion. But no figure played a larger role in his ascent to the top of the Sprint Cup circuit than the driver who was most angry with him this past weekend.

Jeff Gordon's influence on Johnson's career goes much deeper than just his title as listed co-owner of the No. 48 car. It was Gordon who recognized the performance benefit of the merged operations of drivers Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart at Joe Gibbs Racing, and urged Hendrick to make a new building being planned for the No. 24 program big enough to house another team. It was Gordon who, at a long-ago test session at Darlington Raceway, noticed this unheralded driver taking the perfect line around the egg-shaped race track, and was shocked to later realize that the kid had never been there before.

It was Gordon who recommended that Hendrick hire Johnson, who sat across a table from the chief executive officer of Lowe's and swallowed hard and said yes, with the right equipment around him, absolutely this guy you've never heard of before can win. It was Gordon's No. 24 team, fresh off its most recent championship in 2001, that sent cars and equipment over to Johnson's fledgling operation to help get it quickly on its feet. Of course others assisted, and of course Johnson's talent made it all possible. But it was Gordon who brought everything together, using his own considerable acumen and influence, as if that No. 48 operation had sprung from his own rib.

So how jarring it was to hear Gordon use such strong words Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway, chiding Johnson in a most curt, effective manner -- "the 48 is testing my patience," he said -- after their second on-track altercation in as many races. One week earlier, they had banged on each other while competing aggressively for the lead at Texas Motor Speedway. Sunday's run-in was less direct, but far more destructive: a move down the track by Johnson made the clearly faster Gordon slow down, forced him to fall back in traffic, and put him squarely in harm's way when Jeff Burton was turned sideways. (Continued)