Johnson won't let success go to his head

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been the hot topic in NASCAR since he announced he was signing with Hendrick Motorsports, but it's Jimmie Johnson who has been living the rock-star lifestyle lately.Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, had a whirlwind three-day last week that involved an appearance at the Super Bowl and a stop at the White House.But he hasn't let it go to his head and is getting ready to defend his title."The last thing I want to do is, because I've had some success, be arrogant and cocky and not be myself," Johnson said Thursday at Daytona International Speedway during NASCAR's annual media day."The offseason has been a little out of character," he said, laughing. "I'm ready to get back to driving racecars and doing what I know. Hosting parties and red carpets, it's a fantastic experience, but I'm looking forward to the schedule and hiding behind it."As expected, the conversation with Johnson turned away from President Bush, P-Diddy and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller (who sat next to Johnson at the Super Bowl), eventually leading back to his newest teammate, Earnhardt Jr."I learned a lot about him during those four days at the track (during a recent test session)," Johnson said. "The thing that impressed me the most was his ability to understand what the car was doing underneath him. Seeing that confidence in him is only going to help him lead his team to where he wants it to be. That's something I didn't know about him. I was impressed."Like Johnson and teammate Casey Mears, Jeff Gordon has grown accustomed to Dale Jr. as well. Hendrick won a lottery of sorts when Earnhardt, the five-time Most Popular Driver, decided to sign with the team, replacing Kyle Busch.Gordon said he first met the 33-year-old Earnhardt through Dale Earnhardt Sr. at North Wilkesboro years ago when the younger Earnhardt was driving a Late Model."I gave Senior a real hard time about that car and said, 'I can't believe you're going to put him in this equipment,' and he said, 'Well, he's going to have to work at it the hard way.' I respected the heck out of him for that," Gordon said.Earnhardt Jr. probably is relieved to have solved his issues with former employer Dale Earnhardt Inc., but four-time Cup champion Gordon said he will be under a magnifying glass this season."I don't think he came to Hendrick thinking the pressure will be off him or that the expectations will be any lower," said Gordon, second in last year's title chase. "He's at one of the best organizations, one synonymous with championships, that has won back-to-back championships, and the pressure has never been higher on him."I think everyone is saying he'll be in one of the best cars and this could be his time. I think he's going to have a great year."WHO CAN SLOW DOWN THE HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS LOCOMOTIVE?Here are three top teams that might have the talent and resources to knock Hendrick drivers from the top spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season.RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING-- Drivers: Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer.-- Why RCR might win a title: Harvick and Burton are seasoned veterans who have been involved in points races, and Bowyer was the dark horse candidate who had a legitimate championship shot in the final few races last year.-- Why RCR might come up short: Burton needs to rebound after a strong '06 campaign, and Harvick needs more consistency in the Chase. Bowyer won't fly under the radar again this year.JOE GIBBS RACING-- Drivers: Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch.-- Why JGR might win a title: One word -- talent. Stewart, Hamlin and newcomer Busch present as formidable a trio as there is in racing, including Hendrick's drivers.-- Why JGR might come up short: Another word -- Toyota. The Japanese manufacturer was a dud in NASCAR's top series in 2007, but a jump in performance in a car's second year has long been a trend in the sport. The Camry will need it to be competitive.ROUSH FENWAY RACING-- Drivers: Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, David Ragan.-- Why Roush might win a title: Edwards is an up-and-coming star, and Kenseth (2004 champ), Biffle and McMurray are solid drivers who can compete for a win on any given Sunday.-- Why Roush might come up short: After winning consecutive titles in '03 and '04 with Kenseth and Kurt Busch, Roush has dropped significantly in the race with Hendrick to be the best multi-car organization.A WORD FROM THE CONTENDERS ON HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS"You have to do what they're doing, just better. But they will have hiccups, they will have their errors. We were at California (in a recent test) and (Jeff Gordon's car) blew an engine. It's a shock to us when we see it, but it happens. Sometimes it's not so much about us getting better as it is them getting worse."-- Penske Racing's Ryan Newman, who missed the Chase last year."I'd say that's not false, by any means. Also, at the same time, you have to keep improving. (Hendrick drivers) slipping up would be a nice way to ease into it, though."-- Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Cup champion, on Newman's comments."Hendrick and Joe Gibbs Racing have similarities. The Gibbs stuff is a little bit better positioned because it's all under one roof. You've got the chassis shop, the engine shop and the fab shop; it's all under one roof. No specific guy works on one specific car."-- Kyle Busch, who left Hendrick last year, on his old team versus his new one."If you look at offseason testing, I think we're ahead right now. So the first battle goes to JGR."-- Busch, on how his team bettered Hendrick on the track during testing at Daytona, Atlanta, Las Vegas and California.HE SAID IT"I'm 47. This is the 50th Daytona 500; I've missed three. I tell everyone I've been to Victory Lane more times than anyone who didn't win it because I went there with the King."-- Kyle Petty, on his time at Daytona, which includes many visits to Victory Lane with his father, seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty