Rookie of Year race going down to wire

The Associated Press

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Jimmie Johnson is finding out just how frustrating Winston Cup racing can be.

Johnson was sailing along toward the best rookie season ever in NASCAR's top stock car series, even becoming the first rookie to lead the standings, before the vagaries of Cup racing hit home in recent weeks.

After flirting with the possibility of an unprecedented rookie championship, two straight disappointing finishes -- 22nd in Atlanta and 37th last Sunday in Rockingham -- have likely eliminated Johnson from the title chase.

Johnson was ahead of both Tony Stewart and Mark Martin following the race in Kansas on Sept. 29. He goes into the Checker Auto Parts 500 on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway third, 219 points behind leader Stewart and 107 behind runner-up Martin.

"We can't control our own destiny by any means," Johnson said. "So that, I believe, means we don't really have a shot at (the championship). Crazy things happen, but I don't think the chances are very good.

"Tony has a free week on us right now," Johnson added, referring to the fact that Stewart leads by more than maximum of 185 points in a single race.

Johnson's recent problems have also put new life in the season-long duel for Rookie of the Year between Johnson and Ryan Newman, who is fourth, just six points behind Johnson.

Newman, who also has had a remarkable first year, leads Johnson by 20 points in the rookie standings. That honor may come down to discretionary points awarded by a special panel that oversees selection of the top rookie following the season-finale Nov. 17 in Homestead, Fla.

"It's just disappointing," Johnson said. "At Atlanta, we just had a bad day and the car just didn't have the speed in it. I was excited we didn't crash. But I was depressed that we lost so many points.

"Last weekend, we started deep in the pack but we drove up through there. I felt like we had a shot at a great day with Ryan and Tony having troubles. We could have made up points in the rookie battle and the championship."

Stewart does control his own destiny going into the last two races of 2002. He leads Martin by 112 points, thanks to a devastating 25-point penalty levied against Martin for having an illegal spring on his car in Rockingham, where he finished second to Johnny Benson.

Stewart struggled all day with an ill-handling car at The Rock, finishing a lap down in 14th. Newman struggled to 23rd but got further ahead of Johnson.

In 34 races this season, Newman, driving a Ford for Penske Racing South, has a season-high 21 top-10 finishes and 14 top-five finishes -- second only to Stewart's 15. Johnson, driving a Chevrolet for four-time champion Jeff Gordon, got off to a faster start and does lead Newman in victories, 3-1. But his 18 top-10s and six top fives -- a great season for most drivers -- trail his fellow rookie.

Newman laments that his year could have been even better without sporadic engine problems.

"Even when we were losing motors we were competitive," Newman said. "We were running third at Texas, third at Talladega, I think we were fourth someplace else and we were third at Michigan when we had problems.

"Our performances were there, we just didn't quite have the finishes. But, overall, I've just got so much confidence in the team that I've never really doubted anything. I just go out there and do the best job I can and whatever we get as a result is what we get."