Memo to the rest of the field: If you want to beat Jimmie Johnson, you're not going to do it by copying him on pit road.

Sunday in New Hampshire, Johnson proved that his team is back on its game with his second win in a row. Unsurprisingly, he and crew chief Chad Knaus seem to be close to mastering the spoiler -- if, in fact, they were confused by it in the first place.

But from where I sit it's hard not to see other teams as complicit in the win. Sometimes it seems rivals are intimidated by the 48, unwilling to do the opposite of what Knaus does for fear of looking stupid. Instead of zigging when Johnson zags, they mimic him. New Hampshire was a perfect example.

Despite early problems on pit road, Johnson had worked his way back up to second behind Jeff Burton. Then a late caution flag—only the third of the day—put the race temporarily into the hands of crew chiefs.

Burton and his crew chief, Todd Berrier, were in a tough spot: If the 31 opts to come in for tires, everyone else can stay out, leaving him stuck at the back of the lead lap. If he opts to stay out and keep his track position, everyone else can come in for fresh tires, leaving him a sitting duck.

Burton stayed out. From second, Johnson came in to grab two right-side tires for increased speed. Naturally, everybody else followed Johnson to pit road.

I understand nobody wants to be the guy with old tires looking at Jimmie with fresh tires in the rear view. I understand that making the same call Chad Knaus makes is generally sensible. But how is anyone going to beat the man if he's faster, has the same tires and restarts the last run in front of you?

Surely it was worth a chance, long shot though it may have been, for someone at the tail end of the lead lap to stay out hoping to pull a couple of other drivers along as a little buffer. Even with fresh tires, getting through traffic from the middle of the pack is no easy task at New Hampshire--Johnson proved that earlier in the day when it took him a long time to recover from a slow pit stop.

And denying Johnson the win, and the 10 bonus points he gets to take with him into the Chase, is in each driver's self interest, even if the driver doesn't end up winning himself.

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Instead, Johnson restarted with only one car, Burton on old tires, in front of him. He had the advantage and, as is his wont, cashed in for the 52nd time in his career.

Kurt Busch, at least, was willing to fight a little bit, putting the bumper to Jimmie knowing that the 48 was probably fast enough to return the favor—which he did.

As for the rest of those lily-livered varmints, especially those at the tail end of the lead lap, next time I hope they'll consider taking a risk. Otherwise they may well be genuflecting with the rest of us when Jimmie and Chad roll on to their fifth straight title.

Bass Masters and Buzz Cutler are co-hosts of Rowdy.com. For the best NASCAR community on the internet go to Rowdy.com.

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