After 26 races, we welcome you to the playoffs that, for the first time, do not feature Jimmie Johnson.
It's been a rough couple years, but when you have seven championships on your resume you can take a couple body shots and not let it ruin your reputation. Look at the late careers for drivers like Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, and then think about if that has tarnished their legacies at all.
We know that this is the first time that Johnson has missed the playoffs, and although Kevin Harvick put together one of the most impressive Indianapolis runs in NASCAR's history at the track, we'll use this space this week to preview the playoffs.