Every fan I talk to, every talk show host I'm interviewed by, and every article I read goes out of their way to tell me how Jimmie Johnson has already won his fourth straight Sprint Cup Championship. They also tell me that Mark Martin is once again a brides maid and not a bride...for a record 5th time!

But, I know better. I know racing. You see, racing is controlled by 'The Racing God's'. At least that's how race car drivers explain the unexpected. They will tell you things like loose lug nuts, broken shocks, speeding on pit road, a blown transmission, or a cut tire are all products of 'The Racing Gods'.

Drivers will flat out tell you, "Well, we had a good car today. The Hanover Shoes, Yogen-Fruz Frozen Yogurt, Amsoil, AXA Financial, Palmolive Chevy was on the gas today...until 'The Racing Gods' took us out on the final lap with a cut right front."

But, isn't that what we love about racing? The fact that anyone can win. And the fact that you don't know the name of the winner until the final lap when the first place car finally crosses the finish line after 400-miles and three and a half hours of side-by-side racing and pit stops. Isn't that racing? And doesn't Jimmie Johnson still have to race those 400-miles Sunday at Homestead-Miami?

For the record, Mark Martin has made up 108-points on Jimmie Johnson on nine different occasions...granted its only nine races out of 266 head to head races, but it still happened...NINE TIMES! In fact, he did it just two weeks ago at Texas, and he did it at Homestead-Miami in 2005!

Another thought...I did a radio show yesterday and the host asked me "how many things could possibly go wrong for Johnson, he has a 108-point lead, the title is his right?" My response..."how many different parts & pieces make up a Sprint Cup Car? A thousand, two thousand? That's how many things could possibly go wrong for Johnson."

I know it looks like Jimmie is all but guaranteed his fourth straight championship, but racing just doesn't work that way. You still have to line up and earn it, and trust me...there are more things that can go wrong than can go right.

Don't get me wrong, as usual Johnson's performance throughout the Chase has been stellar. Crew chief Chad Knaus and the entire #48 team have spent the first nine Chase races destroying their competition. Over the first nine Chase races, Johnson has four wins, six top fives, eight top 10s, an average finish of 7th and a Driver Rating of 117.2. He certainly DESERVES to win a fourth title! But, will 'The Racing Gods' allow him to win a fourth title?

You see, racing isn't predictable. Racing isn't fair. Racing doesn't care about making history or delivering a sentimental championship. Racing is all about the unpredictable, the unknown, and the unforeseen...that's why we line 'em up every Sunday and wave the green flag to start the race, not the checkered flag. - John 'Captain Thunder' Nevins - www.CaptainThunderRacing.com