They aren't always perfect but are as close as it gets

When he arrived in the infield media center Sunday following his stirring victory in the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway, Jimmie Johnson was informed that he had just posted "a perfect Driver Rating of 150."

Proving that no one really understands NASCAR's Driver Rating, including the drivers themselves, Johnson had to ask what it took to earn a perfect score.

How to be perfect

Jimmie Johnson was tops at Dover in Laps Led (298), Average Running Position (2.0) and Fastest Laps Run (127). He spent all but five of the laps in the top 15 (98.8 percent).

• Johnson dominant at Dover
• Johnson visits the SPEED set
• Press Pass: Credit to the team

Let's just say you've got to be flawless behind the wheel, or at least so close to it that the guys at NASCAR who figure out the Driver Rating don't notice when you aren't. Johnson was that on Sunday, once again proving that he and his No. 48 Chevrolet team are arguably the best in the business.

They are so good that when they're merely good, no one gives them a second thought. When they're great, which they frequently are, they beat everyone and celebrate in Victory Lane -- quickly reminding anyone who might have made the mistake of forgetting for a fleeting moment why Johnson is the first three-time defending points champion to grace NASCAR's tracks in three decades.

Capping a week in which virtually all the news revolved around another Hendrick Motorsports team that made a crew-chief change you may have heard about, Johnson's driving may have been perfect -- and so, it seemed, was his car -- but his team really wasn't.

Overcoming a 'hiccup'

On the final pit stop of the day, Johnson went in as the race leader and came out in eighth. He and crew chief Chad Knaus didn't quibble about the decision to take on four fresh tires that they knew would leave them behind some others who had little choice but to gamble and take only two.

Why would they? Johnson's car had been the class of the field all day -- and every adjustment ordered up by Knaus had been right on the mark, merely making a great car even better every step of the way.

But then that last pit stop wasn't clean, a rarity for the No. 48 guys. And instead of only having to pass two or three to regain the lead, suddenly seven cars loomed between Johnson and career win No. 42 on Lap 374 of the scheduled 400-lap event. (Continued)