Wednesday, October 15th 'What If' Question

Back when tandem drafting was a thing, the Hendrick Motorsports foursome put on a show at Talladega Superspeedway.

It was May 2011, and the only way to draft was by picking a partner and sticking your nose on their back bumper. Jeff Gordon was the best car at the Aaron’s 499 with then teammate Mark Martin his tandem buddy. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were the other pair.

They came from 11^th and 12^th with two laps to go to see Johnson pushed to victory in a four-wide photo finish. Earnhardt Jr. ended up fourth. Johnson’s margin of victory was 0.002, the closest in NASCAR history.

The Lowe’s driver made no bones about it that it wasn’t possible without Earnhardt Jr., as the two never left each other throughout the day. Even feeling as though he needed to give Earnhardt Jr. the checkered flag before heading to Victory Lane. Taking it a step further, however, Johnson and Chad Knaus acknowledged they now owed their teammate one the next time around.

It never game to fruition at Talladega or Daytona, though many never forgot. And Johnson took heat in a subsequent July Daytona race for where he and Earnhardt Jr. ended up.

This weekend the series returns to Talladega with both Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. needing a victory to keep their 2014 Chase hopes alive. Tandem drafting no longer applies as restrictor plate racing has gone back to the traditional pack of screaming machines.

It leaves drivers more in control of making their own moves in the pack and not having to worry about the person tagging along.

But …

What if Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. work together again at Talladega, with both needing a win, would and should Johnson return that favor and push Earnhardt Jr.?

@JR88Elves All bets are off if they are in that position on Sunday..

@modifiedcrazy No chance! #88

@kartracer3886 I wish he would lol. But he would go for the win if he could get it. And he wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t go for it

@playingjust14 I think someone should help @TonyStewart for the win!

@JoJo_6040 Nope. All favors are out the window for this chase

@AlecWiseman If one is pushing the other, 2nd has a good chance of moving on to the next round, and the CC will let them know

@LeftTrnLutheran I’d like to see a @DaleJr and @KyleLarsonRacin tandem, one’s looking for a win, and the other a championship

@ladyndewgreen88 Never happen…..JJ will never be second just ask Junior how many times he pushed JJ

@denver2u ..absolutely…JJ has enough championships for now…Time to share and help DaleJr to the next round…if need be!!