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Monday, Nov. 16, 2009

AVONDALE, Ariz. – It's (almost) over.

With his fourth victory at Phoenix International Raceway in the past five races and fourth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jimmie Johnson has all but clinched his spot in NASCAR history.

Johnson’s win in Sunday’s Checker 500 left him with a nearly insurmountable points lead of 108 over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin entering next weekend’s season finale at Homestead, Fla.

Should he claim the title, it will be Johnson’s fourth consecutive championship – a NASCAR record. He will have won titles in half of the eight full-time seasons he’s run in the series.

One week removed from his worst performance of the season – a 38th at Texas – Johnson and his No. 48 team bounced back in impeccable style.

"I’m very proud of the fact we looked each other in the eyes, knew what we had to do, and delivered,” said Johnson, who can clinch the championship with a finish of 25th or better at Homestead regardless of the performance of any other driver.

“You know, there was a lot of pressure on us to do this. All week long, thinking about this race, wondering if we could come back and step up like we did.

“I’m very, very proud of how we delivered and rose to the occasion.”

The win was Johnson’s seventh of the season and ranks among his most dominant. He led 238 of the 312 laps and at one point had a nearly five-second lead over his nearest rival on the 1-mile track.

Martin was the only Chase contender able to keep up with Johnson, but never led a lap and finished fourth.

“After Talladega, there was a big relief we made it through, had a good finish. I’d be lying if I didn’t feel some things, relief, wonder, ‘Man, maybe this is really going to happen,’” Johnson said.

“Went into Texas and had the carpet jerked out from underneath our feet. Maybe there was a good lesson in that.”

Any lessons Johnson learns to improve performance won’t bode well for his competition. Martin remains Johnson’s only obstacle – and it’s a long shot at best.

Once Johnson takes the green-flag at Homestead, his Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon will officially be eliminated from title contention.

“Right now, we’ve got one race to go and we’ll certainly look forward to giving those guys all the props and respect that they certainly deserve because they’ve earned it,” said Gordon, who finished ninth.

“The No. 48 did what they needed to do, which is no surprise. We’ve seen them do it many times. That’s why they are three-time champions, soon to be four.”

Sunday’s race was relatively uneventful with only two accidents – and both happened well behind the race leaders.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun on Lap 170 which started a multicar wreck that collected Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Bobby Labonte, Brian Vickers and Brad Keselowski, among others.

The race ended with a 134-lap green-flag run and Johnson led 215 of the final 219 laps.

“I don’t know how good these two guys can get,” team owner Rick Hendrick said of Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus.

“But they’re two of the best I’ve ever worked with and the best I’ve ever seen, at a time when this sport is probably more competitive than it has been at any time that I’ve been racing.”

Jeff Burton rallied for a second-place finish – his best of the year; Denny Hamlin was third and pole-winner Martin Truex Jr. was fifth.

Truex, who is leaving his No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team at season’s end to move to Michael Waltrip Racing, earned his first top-five of 2009.

"It’s huge to me because those guys are just like brothers to me. We’re just like a family. I wanted it so bad all year,” Truex said.

“I’ve been trying all year. I think sometimes we try too hard and that’s what gets us in trouble and causes problems. It feels great and I’m really proud of their efforts.”

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