Johnson eyes success in sophomore season

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 10:15 a.m.

LVMS weekend race schedule

Today 6 p.m. -- KB Home Showdown presented by the Southern Nevada Dodge Dealers, The Bullring, spectator gates open Friday 8 a.m. -- Spectator gates open

9-11:15 a.m. -- Busch Series practice

11:20 a.m.-1:20 p.m. -- Winston Cup practice

1:30 p.m. -- Busch Series qualifying (two laps, all positions)

3:05 p.m. -- Winston Cup qualifying (two laps, all positions), followed by Busch Series final practice

5 p.m. -- World of Outlaws, half-mile dirt track, gates open Saturday 8 a.m. -- Spectator gates open

9:30-10:15 a.m. -- Winston Cup practice

11:10-11:55 a.m. -- Winston Cup final practice

12:30 p.m.-- Busch Series driver introductions

1 p.m. -- Sam's Town 300 NASCAR Busch Series race (200 laps, 300 miles)

5 p.m. -- World of Outlaws, half-mile dirt track, gates open Sunday 7 a.m. -- Spectator gates open

11:30 a.m. -- Winston Cup driver introductions

Noon -- UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race (267 laps, 400 miles)

If last season was a learning experience for Jimmie Johnson, he graduated with honors.

In his first full season on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, Johnson, 27, won the pole for his first Daytona 500, won three races, became the first rookie to lead the championship points standings and finished fifth in the final standings.

After getting a taste of being in the hunt for the championship, Johnson said he is ready to make a serious run at the Winston Cup title this season.

"It was a great accomplishment to be the first rookie to leads in points but I wanted to enjoy that limelight a little bit longer," said Johnson, a California native. "We finished up strong; we won three events in our rookie year.

"I don't know what to expect this year but I would hope and think that we would be able to come back out and start where we left off."

Johnson is doing just that. On the strength of a third-place finish in the Daytona 500 and an eight-place effort last weekend at North Carolina Speedway, the former off-road racer is third in Winston Cup points coming into Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"We came off a good race at Rockingham and we're excited to get to Vegas with the new (Chevrolet) body to see how it's all going to shake out," said Johnson, who finished sixth in last year's Las Vegas Winston Cup race. "We had a test there that went really well. We're hoping it's not going to be a huge difference for us as far as setup goes and that we can go out there and get some more points."

Far from feeling pressure to repeat his sensational rookie season, Johnson said he feels more relaxed this season when he climbs into the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet that is co-owned by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon.

"Last year was a learning year for me," Johnson said. "I think there was more pressure on me last year to perform because we didn't have points and we were in an awkward situation getting started with a lot of focus on us. This year, we are calm and confident. We know we have the ability to compete for wins and championships and it's a matter of getting it to work."

As far as being mentioned as a contender for the championship, Johnson said he relishes that role. Of course, it helps when your teammate has won four Winston Cup titles and your team owner has won five.

"Luckily we were in that fire last year and competing for the championship and if you do that, there's going to be the talk about that the following year," Johnson said. "I'm glad to be considered one of the contenders and we'll have to get through the season and see what happens.

"Having (Gordon) as a teammate is a big help. Jeff helps, Rick Hendrick helps and the whole organization helps. I've been so lucky to be around that caliber of work ethic all the time."

As smooth a transition as he made into the upper echelon of stock-car racing, Johnson, a six-time desert-racing champion, said he wasn't prepared for the demands the sponsors, media and fans place on Winston Cup drivers.

"Coming up through the Busch Series was a great environment for me to learn from and get a feel for the fans and the racing and everything that goes with it," Johnson said. "But Winston Cup is such a bigger series and so much more going on with it that there's nothing that could have gotten me prepared for it.

"Kevin Harvick sat me down at Daytona before last year started and said, 'Just wait. Nobody could tell me and I can't even begin to tell you what you're going to be faced with. Just go out there and race hard.' He was right: There is just no way you can be prepared for what happened."