Johnson keeps his focus on prize that matters most

FORT WORTH, Texas -- There were times, despite the tremendous success he's enjoyed in his career, when Jimmie Johnson wondered if he was missing out on something. He saw all his counterparts on NASCAR's premier series who moonlighted on the Nationwide tour. He watched as many of his fellow drivers started up racing operations ranging from sprint cars to Sprint Cup. And he asked himself if he needed to be doing the same thing.

These days, the answer to that question is obvious. Johnson starts Sunday's race at Texas Motor Speedway with a 184-point lead on the field, and a real chance to wrap up his fourth consecutive championship a week before the season ends. Throughout his record-breaking run, every aspect of his ascendancy has been scrutinized -- his workout routine, his driving style, his demeanor, his relationship with crew chief Chad Knaus. And yet, there's another potential factor that's gone completely overlooked.

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Certainly, much of Johnson's success is due to what he's done. But some of it may also be the result of what he doesn't do. He doesn't compete in the Nationwide Series. He doesn't own race teams. Every molecule of his being is focused on one thing, on winning the Cup championship, something he's proven better at than any other driver of his era. There are no extracurricular activities. There are no shortened debriefs on Saturdays because he has to go jump in a Nationwide car. There are no hiring, firing, or sponsorship-finding headaches. There is nothing to pull his attention away from his primary goal. Johnson does two things -- drive and win. And he does them so well, so effortlessly, they seem as involuntary as a heartbeat.

When Johnson first arrived on NASCAR's premier circuit seven years ago, teammate and co-car owner Jeff Gordon gave his protégé some advice: the key to success is avoiding distraction. Gordon hasn't run a Nationwide-level race since 2000, and his car ownership at Hendrick Motorsports does not include any day-to-day management duties. Clearly, Johnson took his mentor's words to heart.

"I think that [it's about] really being focused on your team, where it really matters, which is in the Cup Series," Gordon said. "Every guy in this garage area wants a championship. They want to win races at this level and win a championship. What can you do to give your team the best effort and information to go out and do that consistently? And Jimmie does a great job at it. He's very focused, and works very hard at it, and the results speak for themselves." (Continued)