There is an ESPN promotional spot, airing regularly, that I wish you'd pay attention to. And I'm not trying to increase ratings. I'm trying to save your sanity.

In fact, don't even wait for TV. Go to YouTube and see it and hear it. Just Google "YouTube ESPN NASCAR best driver ever."

Listen closely.

Obviously, the intent of that promo is to encourage you to watch our Chase telecasts.

But it's much more meaningful, maybe therapeutic, for you, personally, as a Jimmie Johnson hater. Best I can tell, you are the majority of NASCAR Nation.

Will Jimmie Johnson join Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt in the seven-championship club? Dozier Mobley/Getty Images

This has to do with the old psychotherapists' mantra that if you can't change your situation, maybe you can change the way you look at it.

The scenario has Johnson walking along the starting grid just before a race.

The voiceover begins, "Winning a sixth championship might add to your legacy -- but is it enough to make you a legend?"

And here you'll howl, "NOOOOOOO!"

He walks past a Richard Petty impersonator, and then a Dale Earnhardt impersonator, as the voice says, "Because there's a big difference between being the best driver of your generation ... and being the best driver ever."

Johnson gets into his car. And he's off ... toward ... we don't know what, yet. Maybe toward establishing himself, at least to the mainstream public and the general sports world outside of NASCAR, as its best driver ever.

He may not get there. But he might. If you don't like him, can't you at least do him the courtesy of being fascinated with where he's headed?

Don't you understand what you saw Sunday at Dover? If ever the overwhelming fan favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr., had a chance to beat Johnson head-to-head, it was then.

Earnhardt had a car at least equal to Johnson's, so don't give me that about Johnson getting superior equipment.

On the last pit stop, Earnhardt took four tires, Johnson two. So I don't want to hear it about Chad Knaus propping up Johnson with pit strategy. The crew chief guessed wrong.