Jimmie Johnson looks to become four-time Brickyard 400 champ

It’s Jimmie’s world, we’re just living in it.

Jimmie Johnson has done it all at NASCAR’s highest level—he’s won an unprecedented four straight Cup titles, has a Daytona 500 trophy and three Brickyard 400 wins.

But the question that has to be answered here in 2010 is can the two-time defending race winner win his third straight 400?

Johnson drives down the frontstretch in practice last year

The only other drivers to pull off the feat are Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Jeff Gordon and Michael Schumacher. Mears and Johnson hooked up on June 10th in Speedway, Ind., to talk racing and take some laps around the 2.5-mile track.

“It was fun to ride around the track and bench race a little bit,” Johnson said. “To have that opportunity here today was really cool. Going around the track riding with him, although it wasn’t at speed in a race car, was still a pretty special moment.”

Johnson idolized Mears growing up. Both California natives shared racing backgrounds growing up, and Mears wouldn’t mind welcoming Johnson into the four-time winners club at Indy.

Johnson pulls out of the garage area in front of Martin Truex Jr. last year during a practice run

“I think it would be great if he could win a fourth one,” Mears said. “It’s a heck of an accomplishment to win four of anything, anywhere, anytime. The more, the merrier.”

Johnson rode his 2006 Brickyard 400 victory to his first Cup title, becoming the first driver in Cup history to win the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Cup title all in the same season. He won the caution-marred 2008 race and beat Mark Martin on a late restart last year to claim his third Brickyard 400 win. With that victory Johnson became the first driver to win back-to-back Brickyard 400s.

Johnson performs a burn out after winning the bizarre 2008 Brickyard 400

If the past four weeks are any indication to NASCAR fans, look out for the No. 48 to be up front at Indy. Johnson has two wins and although he had trouble at Daytona (wreck) and Chicago, he had a decent car at both tracks.

And if there’s anyone who can pull off a victory at any speedway, I’m putting safe odds on Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, who seem to be able to dial the Lowe’s machine up at any track.

And Indy is one of them.