Hail to the (crew) chief of NASCAR
JIM PELTZ ON MOTOR RACING
With Jimmie Johnson about to win his third consecutive Sprint Cup title, crew chief Chad Knaus is at the top of game, overcoming a past that included his banishment from the track for cheating.
Jimmie Johnson is poised to win an historic third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup title under the guidance of his crew chief Chad Knaus, a span of excellence that began with Knaus being penalized, vilified and banished from the race track for cheating.
But after paying his penance for that episode at the Daytona 500 in 2006 and making personal changes, Knaus stands ready to etch his own name in the record books by managing Johnson's remarkable streak.
Knaus (pronounced ke-nouse) has done so with an exhaustive attention to detail, a cerebral technical knowledge of the sport, a willingness to push the limits of NASCAR's rules despite his past indiscretions, a keen understanding of his driver and a willingness to make gutsy calls in the pits.
That was evident again Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Johnson arrived in Atlanta comfortably ahead in the NASCAR Cup point standings with only four races remaining, and had his No. 48 Chevrolet running seventh as the race neared its end.
On Sunday when the yellow flag flew with 13 laps left, Johnson and Knaus could have taken the conservative route by staying put during the caution period and likely getting a top-10 finish.
Instead, Knaus called Johnson into the pits for a four-tire change, which dropped Johnson back to 11th as the race resumed with only eight laps remaining.
With the fresh rubber, Johnson stormed through the field, picking off car after car, and he finished second behind winner Carl Edwards.
That widened Johnson's lead in the Chase for the Cup playoff to 183 points with only three races remaining - all but sealing the third straight title. "Chad's call for tires at the end really paid off," Johnson said.
For Knaus, the call was a no-brainer.
"Wins and top fives, that's what we get paid to do," he said. "I felt like if we just stayed where we were at in seventh, I don't know if we would have finished in the top 10."
If Johnson wins the championship, he'll become only the second driver to capture three straight. The other driver was Cale Yarborough in 1976-78.
And Knaus would become the first crew chief to accomplish the feat, because Yarborough had different crew chiefs during his title stretch.
Johnson's stretch began ignominiously at Daytona in early 2006. After his qualifying run for the prestigious race, NASCAR found his rear window had been altered to improve the car's aerodynamics.
