Beyond the Flag
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NASCAR: Five Drivers Who Wont Last Long In The Chase

By Brian Thornsburg

Mar 13, 2016; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott during the Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2016; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott during the Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 23, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jimmie Johnson stands in the pits during qualifications for the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Jimmie Johnson

Don’t let that 7th place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway fool you, Jimmie Johnson is about as far away from lasting long in the Chase as any former champion has ever been. While Johnson did nab two spectacular wins early on in the season, he has done little since then to show himself as a championship contender. In fact, Johnson only has two top-ten’s in the last ten races of the Sprint Cup season.

If that’s enough to make Jimmie Johnson fans hit the panic button on his chances in the postseason, maybe they should consider the fact that half of those finishes outside the top-ten were due to getting caught up in someone else’s mess. Not only is that very bad news for a Chase system that almost completely relies on consistency, it may be Johnson in a must-win situation early on in the Chase.

Next: Just another face in the Chase?

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