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I am making a bold prediction. Jimmie Johnson will not win his sixth consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup race (including the All-Star) at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Bring it on Johnson fans! I know you guys are going to rip me a new one in your emails, but I just cannot see this guy winning again at the 1.5-mile speedway. All good things must come to an end. Dale Earnhardt Jr's dominance at Talladega eventually came to a halt. Jeff Gordon's ascendancy at Darlington, especially the Southern 500, ultimately concluded. As did Rusty Wallace's Bristol dominance, Darrell Waltrip's complete short-track supremacy, and even Dale Earnhardt's dominance everywhere. So this weekend, I assertively predict that another driver will celebrate victory at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Why would I risk eating my words? First of all, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong, I'm simply not afraid to admit when I'm wrong. So if Johnson wins, I will anticipate emails asking me if I feel stupid. The answer will be 'not a chance, baby'! So which driver has the best chance at dethroning the King of Lowe's? Obviously, a couple of the Roush Racing drivers are suitable candidates. Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth have been fast everywhere in 2006, and the 1.5-milers are right up their alley. And Mark Martin has enjoyed elevated success at Lowe's Motor Speedway over the years. He has two wins, eleven top fives, and thirteen top tens at the track located near Charlotte, North Carolina. His average finish is 9.9. Tony Stewart is another driver who could likely depose Johnson. In fact, Stewart was the last driver other than Johnson to win a points paying event at Lowe's Motor Speedway when he won the UAW-GM Quality 500 back in October of 2003. Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick are not to be disregarded. Harvick finished second last weekend in the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Burton has two career wins at LMS. And you cannot exclude Kasey Kahne from the list of favorites. Kahne has won the previous two races at 1.5-mile cookie cutters. He won at Atlanta and Texas, which both tracks are considered as sister tracks to Lowe's Motor Speedway. My pick to win the Coca Cola 600 is Jeff Burton. He's well overdue for a win, and as I mentioned two paragraphs before, he knows how to get around this speedway, even if it has been levigated and repaved since his last victory. My darkhorse pick goes to Robby Gordon. Not only is that black Jim Beam paint scheme eye-catching, but also Gordon has been markedly fast at the 1.5 milers this season. In fact, he has been performing better than Dale Earnhardt Jr and Martin Truex Jr, who use the same DEI engine package. email the author: autoracing@auite101.com
The copyright of the article Johnson Will Not Win At Lowe's in Auto Racing is owned by Jeremy Dunn. Permission to republish Johnson Will Not Win At Lowe's in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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