Catchfence

SPEED™ Q&A

HOSTS OF NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES AWARDS CEREMONY

ON SPEED REFLECT ON SEASON’S BIGGEST STORIES,

BEST RIVALRIES AND JIMMIE JOHNSON’S PLACE IN NASCAR HISTORY

As Jimmie Johnson prepares to take his seat at the head table at the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Award Ceremony in Las Vegas Friday (9 p.m. ET live on SPEED), the gala caps not only a record-breaking season but one full of news and storylines.  Below, Steve Byrnes, Mike Joy and Krista Voda, hosts of the Awards Ceremony for SPEED, discuss thet  season that was:

Q: What was the biggest story of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season?

“Without question, Jimmie Johnson’s fourth consecutive title was the most important story of the year.  Props to Tony Stewart for coming out of the gate strong in his first year as a team owner/driver.  But Johnson is in ‘rare air,’ in exclusive company, with greats like Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning and Roger Federer.  He is as unpretentious, humble and gracious a champion as the sport has ever seen.  As much as many fans don’t want to hear that, it’s the truth – what you see is what you get with Johnson and what he is is an exceptional talent and an even better person.”

– Steve Byrnes, SPEED host

“The biggest story of the 2009 season easily was Johnson’s fourth consecutive championship and Rick Hendrick’s unprecedented 1-2-3 finish in the points.”

– Mike Joy, SPEED host

“Mark Martin was the 2009 headline stealer … from the brink of full retirement to the edge of a championship.  Combine what Martin did, in his first year with a new team, with the way Ron Hornaday Jr. dominated in the Camping World Truck Series, and it’s easy to see 50 is the new 20.  Mark Martin is a champion in my mind. His work ethic, the way he treats people and the respect he has of his colleagues and fans mean more than any trophy ever could.”

– Krista Voda, SPEED host

Q: Who was the biggest surprise of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season?

“Hands down, Juan Pablo Montoya was the biggest surprise of the 2009 season.  Not only did his team hit on something and start knocking down top-10 and top-five finishes, they nearly won the Brickyard 400 and made the Chase.  And for a while there, Montoya appeared a legitimate threat for the championship, all the while staying true to himself.  I love to see an unapologetic hard charger.”

–Steve Byrnes

“The biggest surprise, hands down, was Marcos Ambrose.”

– Mike Joy

“It’s a tie for me in this category between Kyle Busch failing to make the Chase and Carl Edwards’ goose egg in the win column. Kyle had the wins while Carl made the Chase, but neither reached the level of success attained a year before. They would be the first, and second, to agree.”

– Krista Voda

Q: Is Jimmie Johnson underrated?
“Absolutely – the guy doesn’t get a fraction of the credit owed to him.  Johnson is one of the most underrated drivers to ever have climbed behind the wheel of a race car and one of the best.  Sometimes, nice guys do finish first and in Johnson’s case, they finish first four consecutive years.”

– Steve Byrnes

“I’m not worried about Johnson being underrated because folks tend to live in the here and now.  Right now, it looks easy, and some fans are even saying that Jimmie had it all ‘handed’ to him.  Over time, the sport and its followers will realize how big an accomplishment this is.”

– Mike Joy

“Jeff Burton said it’s nearly impossible to be truly appreciated within your own era. Yes, Jimmie Johnson is underrated now but I think his achievements will be revered to the level at which they deserve sometime in the future.”

– Krista Voda

Q: What is the best rivalry in NASCAR right now?
“The best rivalry going is Brad Keselowski versus the rest of the field.  Just wait a couple of months – Denny Hamlin won’t be the only driver standing in the anti-Keselowski line.  But I love Brad’s unbridled enthusiasm. He reminds me of a young Ernie Irvan but he just needs to learn how to harness some of that passion before someone harnesses it for him.”

– Steve Byrnes

“The Montoya-Stewart dust-up in Homestead was just a skirmish, but it’s the one that is going to be on the minds of the fans all winter.  That’ll keep people talking and that’s good for the sport.  Nothing like a couple of (mostly) dormant volcanoes to stir things up.  The Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski feud bears watching, also.

“Actually, NASCAR’s biggest rivalry is Dale Jr. versus the COT platform.  The sport needs Jr. to win that battle, and soon.”

– Mike Joy

“Last year, the most heated rivalry seemed to be Kyle Busch versus the fans. But I think the fans are warming up to him lately. He’s earned their respect with the way he drives. I would love to see a true driver versus driver rivalry created in the Cup Series and I definitely think we need it.”

– Krista Voda

Q: Who or what was the biggest disappointment of the season?
“The year’s biggest letdown was that Carl Edwards didn’t win a race, and that after Matt Kenseth’s two season-opening wins, the Fords pretty much disappeared from contention.”

– Mike Joy

Q: What is Johnson’s place in NASCAR history?
“Jimmie’s four-peat easily places him in the all-time NASCAR top ten.  I wouldn’t put him alongside Richard Petty and David Peason just yet, but let’s say he’s knocking on the door of the top five.”

– Mike Joy

Q: If you were NASCAR and could make one change over the off-season, what would it be?
“I would love to see NASCAR provide a bigger incentive for winning races.  I don’t care if it’s five points or 50.  Anything would help.”

– Steve Byrnes

Q: What are your thoughts on the inaugural Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas?
“Personally, I’ve always been a huge fan of the banquet being held in New York City. But, professionally, I understand the need for change. I think moving the Awards Ceremony to Las Vegas has infused new life and energy into the event. Glitz and glamour should be oozing out the sides of this year’s banquet.”

– Krista Voda

SPEED, now in more than 79 million homes in North America, is the exclusive home of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Gatorade Duel at Daytona, NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The only network delivering  live, at-track programming all season long, SPEED offers the definitive pre- and post-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series programs – NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane, as well as other popular NASCAR programs including Trackside Live, NASCAR Performance, NASCAR Live!, NASCAR Race Hub, This Week in NASCAR, NCWTS Setup and NASCAR in a Hurry.
- SPEED TV, Press Release