The people behind the No. 48 car and other record-setting sports dynasties

The crew behind J.J.'s dynasty

Hendrick Motorsports has assembled the team to beat with the No. 48 Chevrolet, which on Sunday wrapped up its fourth consecutive championship — a first on NASCAR's top level. Aside from driver Jimmie Johnson, here are the team members who have been there for all four titles:

Chad Knaus, crew chief; Rich Gutierrez, mechanic/gas man; Greg Ives, race engineer; Mike Knauer, mechanic/catch can; Ron Malec, mechanic/car chief; Marc Puchalski, mechanic; Art Simmons, chassis set-up/front tire carrier.

These teams stand alone

Among the greatest franchises in team sports, each has one title run that stands out. The teams with the most consecutive titles in the NHL, NBA and MLB and the people who made them dynasties:

• Boston Celtics, 1958-59 to 1965-66, only team in major American sports to win eight consecutive titles.

Hall of Famers who played on all eight teams: Three (Bill Russell, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones)

Note: Four Hall of Famers played on at least half of the title teams in this span: Tom Heinsohn (first seven titles), Frank Ramsey (first six), Bob Cousy (first five), John Havlicek (last four).

Coach: Red Auerbach

Keys: Russell was named league MVP four times in this span and set NBA Finals records that still stand for most rebounds in a four-, five- and seven-game series.

• Montreal Canadiens, 1955-56 to 1959-60, only NHL team to win five straight Stanley Cups

Hall of Famers who played on all five teams: Seven (Jacques Plante, Jean Beliveau, Bernie Geoffrion, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Henri Richard, Tom Johnson)

Others: Claude Provost, Jean-Guy Talbot, Don Marshall, Bob Turner

Coach: Toe Blake

Keys: Plante won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender all five Cup seasons; Beliveau won one scoring title and Moore two in that span; Beliveau was league MVP in 1955-56 at age 24.

• New York Yankees, 1949-53, only MLB team to win five straight World Series

Hall of Famers who played on all five teams: Three (Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Johnny Mize*)

Others: Vic Raschi, Allie Reynolds, Ed Lopat, Jerry Coleman, Gene Woodling, Hank Bauer

Manager: Casey Stengel

Keys: Reynolds and Lopat each won American League ERA titles in that span; Berra and Rizzuto each won an MVP. Reynolds was 6-2 in the World Series including a win in Game 7 of the 1952 Series.

*—Mize spent most of his career in the National League.

Times staff