Don’t fault Johnson for being near perfect

It's hard to find NASCAR fans who admit they love Jimmie Johnson. You never see his name atop lists of the most popular drivers.

Maybe he's too perfect. No one can challenge his driving record. No Sprint Cup driver has been more successful since he joined the series full time in 2002.

What's not to like about him?

Is it because Johnson doesn't do back flips after winning? Or because he doesn't stomp away from interviews if a race didn't end to his liking? Maybe it's because he's the most successful driver in American racing this decade?

As perfect as he is, he doesn't stand a chance of winning this year's most popular driver award.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won it the past six years, and the newly corporate Tony Stewart could be the only other driver with a chance of copping the honor this year. Fans remain loyal to "Little E" when they should be tiring of him not producing big W's.

So Stewart is your man. Fine. But "Smoke" has morphed into a NASCAR company man since becoming a team co-owner this year. Working-class-hero Tony was more ornery before donning corporate NASCAR suits.

Jimmie is the man. He should be loved, if not adored. He has never done anything to irritate his detractors except win. And he wins with class, loses with dignity. Jimmie is the ideal guy to root for. His No. 48 should be on your bumper, his hat on your head and T-shirt proudly worn.

For one thing, odds favor him to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Cup championship. Of course, that would upset those pulling for Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin to win his first. Another reason to dislike Jimmie.

There's still room on his bandwagon. Plenty of room.

Everybody is supposed to love a winner. Why not Jimmie?

He was entertaining in those wacky Lowe's commercials he did with crew chief Chad Knaus.

Maybe it's his perfect hair and good looks we'd all die to have that make so many treat him like a leper. The poor guy even went with that unshaven look this year to not appear so perfect. But he still was hot.

That could be a factor that keeps men from liking him, and that he's better looking than some of their wives.

And few have spouses more attractive than his. He's married to Chandra Janway Johnson, an Oklahoma native who earned a degree in business communication at the University of Oklahoma. We thought a communications program at OU specialized in teaching how to properly say "whoa" to a team of horses.

Millions of Sooners should love him for that connection. They should love him in the Big Apple, where his wife worked as a model.

That might be a reason more women don't like him.

This guy would have been the one to take home to meet Mom, but she probably wouldn't have liked him either; so perfect and polite that it must be a facade.

The sons and daughters of the Confederacy should like him because, even at age 34, the Southern California native is so homespun he still uses an "ie" at the end of his name.

And he's a man's man. His racing began in the desert and in off-road stadium racing. He owns six off-road championships, and that takes more grit than winning some namby-pamby go-kart title.

The guy even has a wild side. A couple of years ago, he was screwing around and flew off the roof of a golf cart. Frat boys should love him.

By the way, he can really drive a race car.

His win Sunday was his fourth of the year and 44th in his seven-year career. He has finished fifth in Cup points twice and was runner-up twice before his run of three championships.

Lighten up, Jimmie haters. Don't be jealous just because you can't find a blemish on his resume. Or on his face.

Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday. He can be reached at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247. Visit Wolf's motor sports blog at lvrj.com/blogs/heavypedal/ throughout the week.