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Simply the Best; No Winston Cup rookie class has been as good as this year's.(Racing)
Byline: AL PEARCE
It probably won't happen now, but don't think for a second NASCAR wasn't worried that Jimmie Johnson would be Winston Cup champion but not win the rookie-of-the-year title. If you're NASCAR president Mike Helton, how do you explain that to a cynical public?
The Hendrick/Lowe's driver might have done Helton a favor by spinning twice and finishing 22nd in the NAPA 500 near Atlanta. He fell from second to third in points and from 82 to 150 behind Tony Stewart with three races remaining. ``Before, we had a shot at controlling our own destiny,'' Johnson said after his uncharacteristic outing. ``Now, that opportunity is flying out the window. This is something we didn't need for the long run. But, hey, we're rookies; we're not even supposed to be here.''
Johnson and Ryan Newman are the best Winston Cup rookie class in years. Witness: Kevin Harvick was a one-man show last year. Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. did well two years ago. Stewart was a runaway pick in '99.
But no rookie class has enjoyed the immediate success of this one. Together, Johnson and Newman have eight poles, four wins, 20 top-fives and 41 top-10s. After 33 of 36 starts, Johnson is third in points and Newman fourth.
``Either of those guys would be a fitting [rookie of the year] winner,'' said former champion Dale Jarrett. ``You can't make a bad choice with either one. Really, you can't go by the one who wins the most races or has the most [Cup] points. You have to use the system and let it play out. But, no, I'm not sure I understand how it works.''
Ken Schrader doesn't, either, and he was selected by the system in 1985. ``Oh, it had all kinds of numbers and point values,'' he said. ``It's changed a little through the years, but that system's been in place for years. Because it's a formula, either of this year's guys will be good picks. The formula's doing the picking.''
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Source: HighBeam Research, Simply the Best; No Winston Cup rookie class has been as good as this...