In December 2010, when Jimmie Johnson had been officially presented his fifth consecutive championship at the awards banquet, I remember asking if it had sunk in what he and Hendrick Motorsports had done.The accomplishment was unfathomable. We weren’t talking about a clump of race wins or a five-year win streak....

Eight will have to wait.In a must-win situation in the final elimination race of the playoffs, Jimmie Johnson made an early exit at Phoenix International Raceway after blowing a right-front tire and hitting the Turn 3 wall. The accident occurred on the final lap of Stage 2 while Johnson was...