RICHMOND, VA - Here's a stat that properly illustrates how weird this Jimmie Johnson/Matt Kenseth "drought" is: The last time neither won any of the first eight races, Johnson wasn't even in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series yet.
The year was 2001. Johnson was in his second full season of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. Kenseth was in his second full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and battling a bit of a sophomore slump. He went winless and finished outside the top 10 in the final championship standings.
Few would've predicted they'd combine to win seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships over the next decade and a half, or win a combined 96 races.
The point: Though an eight-race drought doesn't constitute as a panic situation, it can certainly be categorized as bizarre. Last year at this time, they each had two wins.
But the wait likely won't last too much longer. Though Richmond International Raceway might be the place, tracks beyond this weekend may provide a slightly better opportunity.
Though Johnson has three wins at Richmond, the last was in 2008
Saturday
December 21st, 2024
8:27PM
