Johnson’s achievement of winning four titles in a row not only eclipses Yarborough’s record of three straight, but also launches Johnson into the elite realm with drivers such as Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Jeff Gordon -- the only other drivers to win more than three titles.
“It’s up there. The fact that nobody has done this, I think it puts me near the top,” said Johnson. “I certainly look at the seven championships won by both [Dale] Earnhardt and [Richard] Petty, their race wins, their being in the sport for an amount of years, and all that they’ve done. Those two guys are at the top. Hopefully my stats and win totals and championship totals can rival theirs.”
Currently, Earnhardt and Petty both have more wins and titles than Johnson, but the 34-year-old isn’t finished. He might be in the sport for another 10 years or more before he retires, which only adds to the speculation of what might happen in Johnson’s future. A possible five titles in a row is a possibility, and an overall seven titles -- a number achieved only by Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty -- isn’t out of the question, either.
Earlier in the season, Johnson’s fourth title looked to be guaranteed. However, a crash at Texas Motor Speedway slashed 111 points off his lead, giving veteran Mark Martin a chance to possibly overtake Johnson in the hunt for the championship. At the end of the season, though, Johnson soared to victory by his highest point margin yet -- 141-- over second-place-driver Martin. Johnson’s teammate Jeff Gordon finished third in points, 38 behind Martin.
Source: NASCAR