Jimmie Johnson has Sprint Cup virtually won

Sheltered as he tries to stay away from the media distractions that would cloud his head, Jimmie Johnson can't avoid hearing what the ticket buyers and TV watchers have to say.

Anybody but you, Jimmie. You win all the time.

You've made NASCAR BO-ring.

In that respect, this year is the same as last: Johnson wins; fans yawn; the cycle repeats.

The only real difference is the history attached. If all goes as expected Sunday, Johnson will emerge as the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive titles.

Whether he'd be cheered, booed or simply ignored for the accomplishment cannot matter to Johnson.

"You know, what means the most to me is in the garage area, I know I'm respected by everybody," Johnson said. "If it's a slow phase from the fans, maybe in a position of not being respected for what I've accomplished, it will show up in due time.

"When I was a kid growing up, (Dale) Earnhardt was winning a lot of races and championships, but nobody liked him. When I first started driving for Hendrick, Jeff (Gordon) won his fourth championship, won a lot of races, nobody really liked him. It's happened in our sport to other drivers."

Earnhardt went on to win seven before he died. His legacy is that of a bullheaded and brash competitor who'd knock anyone out of his way, but he also is remembered as one of NASCAR's most revered figures.

The polished Gordon, an anti-Earnhardt if ever there were one, dominated from the mid-1990s to early 2000s. But his futile pursuit of Johnson, his protege, has turned Gordon into a sympathetic character, at least as sympathetic as an 82-time winner and four-time champion can be.

"They say the same thing about everybody that wins championships: He's driving for the best team," said veteran Jeff Burton, who drove against Earnhardt and the other seven-time champion, Richard Petty. "I don't think your generation ever gives you the credit you deserve.

"The next generation will give Jimmie the credit he deserves. It's hard for me to compare drivers, especially one that I'm still racing against. But I don't think that there's any way you can dismiss his ability."

Johnson, a 35-year-old Californian who moved to Wisconsin to learn to drive stock cars, landed eight seasons ago in Sprint Cup. He has never failed to finish among the top five in the standings and has won 47 times, compiling the fifth-best winning percentage in the sport's history.