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Nascar and Racing

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Rejuvenated Mark Martin Remains NASCAR's Sentimental Favorite

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Mark Martin winces, then breaks into a grin every time he hears the introduction.

"Ladies and gentlemen ... Mark Martin, who is attempting to become the oldest champion in NASCAR history."

The difference between this week and years ago is that Martin grinned. He's been doing that a lot lately.

Martin trails his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson by 108 points entering Sunday's Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway. Johnson, 34, only needs to finish 25th or better to clinch a historic fourth consecutive title.

Martin, 50, is still looking for his first.

Newman Satisfied With Team Debut

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- If pressed to find one thing Ryan Newman would change about his season, of course, he'd like to score a win in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

After being close to victory circle a half-dozen times this season, that's about the only thing he feels is missing from a stellar debut season with the essentially start-up Stewart-Haas Racing team. Newman won two pole positions in the No. 39 U.S. Army-sponsored Chevrolet and, after an ominous start at the season-opening Daytona 500, still qualified for the 12-driver Chase for the Championship.

In our last installment of Inside the Chase for the Championship with Ryan Newman, FanHouse looks at the evolution of the season and how Newman evaluates his fresh start.

Johnson Wins Pole for Homestead Finale

Jimmie JohnsonHOMESTEAD, Fla. -- The hard-core conspirators will think NASCAR scripted it. The reality is Jimmie Johnson was the fastest driver of the day.

Johnson will start his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet from the pole position in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway -- the ultimate beginning to the last chapter in his quest to become the first driver to win four consecutive championships.

Of all things Johnson knocked his Hendrick Motorsports teammate -- and only title challenger left -- Mark Martin off the top spot on the qualifying speed chart. Johnson leads Martin by 108 points and needs only to finish 25th or better to clinch his historic championship.

Brian France Talks State of NASCAR

Brian FranceHOMESTEAD, Fla. -- NASCAR Chairman Brian France held an impromptu news conference Friday at Homestead Miami Speedway, addressing topics from NASCAR's legal battle with driver Jeremy Mayfield, to shortening the schedule, to the Chase for the Championship format and the possibility of Danica Patrick coming to NASCAR.

Generally speaking and considering the poor state of the economy, France said he's pleased with the season although he'd love to have fuller fields of cars carrying more corporate sponsorship and better television ratings. He said the COT is here to stay and he doubts NASCAR will start shortening the lengths of races.

Here are excerpts from France's meeting with reporters.

Jimmie Johnson Signs Contract Extension With Hendrick

Jimmie JohnsonHOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Two days before he attempts to wrap up a historic fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, Jimmie Johnson has announced a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that will keep the champ driving the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet through the 2015 season.

"It's the only car I've ever driven,'' Johnson said with a smile Friday morning. "I'm very proud of that.''

Everything's Gravy in Hendrick Universe

MIAMI -- NASCAR's Championship Weekend officially kicked off Thursday during a contenders press conference that couldn't have been less like boxing's version of a pre-bout showdown. This was more meet-and-greet than stare-and-glare.

The players here -- three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin -- like each other, so much so it was difficult to remember that they are actually competing against one another.

Johnson gushed about what a great driver Martin is. And Martin humbly insisted he was just happy to be in position to challenge Johnson. And their team owner Rick Hendrick maintained, "I'm just living the dream."

Jimmie Johnson: The Great Unknown

Jimmie Johnson doesn't need help winning. He desperately needs help making people appreciate winning.

He's about to clinch his fourth straight Sprint Cup title. To put that in layman's terms, Johnson is the Yankees, Patriots and American Idol wrapped into one.

That makes Johnson the most under-loved dynasty in sports history. When he wins the crown this Sunday at Homestead, most of America will stifle a yawn unless he pops out of the cockpit dressed as Danica Patrick.

Jimmie, we're here to help.

Jimmie Johnson: Toast of the Coast

Jimmie Johnson
With Jimmie Johnson positioned to become the first racer in history to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships, FanHouse motorsports writer Holly Cain took a trip to his hometown outside San Diego last week. This is the second of a two-part series looking at the unlikely start for a stock car great.


Championship-Worthy Seasons Not Enough for Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin

Jeff Gordon Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Phoenix Hendrick 2009 FanHouseThe cloudy white smoke from Jimmie Johnson's marathon victory burnout at Phoenix International Raceway Sunday seemed to have a double meaning.

On one hand, it was a celebration for all that Johnson has done right in the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup as he marches towards an improbable fourth straight Sprint Cup championship in the season's final race next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

But on the other, it seemed to identify a brutal certainty for two of NASCAR's marquee drivers as once again Mark Martin's (2nd in points) and Jeff Gordon's (3rd) collective shots at NASCAR's biggest crown were figuratively going up in smoke.

Jimmie Johnson Wins at Phoenix to Cruise Into Finale


AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Jimmie Johnson rebounded from a rare bad race with a dominating victory at Phoenix International Raceway that pushed him to the edge of a NASCAR record fourth consecutive championship.

Johnson led 238 laps Sunday to win for the fourth time in the last five races at Phoenix. It was his seventh victory of the season, and fourth since the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

More important, it stretched his lead to 108 points over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin heading into the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnson needs to finish 25th or better next week to grab a spot in NASCAR's record books.

FanHouse Warmup: Checker 500

The Essentials Race: Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 Where: Phoenix Int'l Raceway Time: Sunday 3:15 PM ET TV/Radio: ABC, MRN Radio Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing Forecast: Mostly sunny, High 60s Distance: 312 laps (312 miles) Pole Winner: ...

Sprint Cup Crown Remains Jimmie Johnson's to Lose

The chaos of Lap 3 last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway certainly tossed the NASCAR world into a frenzy. When the dust settled, version one of the No. 48 Texas Chevrolet became version two and both Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon failed to add the word ...

Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Dickies 500

Notes, quotes and a dash of commentary from a NASCAR weekend in Texas. What a difference a crew chief makes. Kyle Busch, a Sprint Cup nobody in the last few weeks, rocketed back to his expected form with new team leader Dave Rogers calling the ...

Jimmie Johnson's Extra Motivation

Turns out everyone was a little ahead of themselves. The wild-card race wasn't last week at Talladega, Ala., but Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. At least as far as NASCAR championship points leader Jimmie Johnson is concerned. All week the ...

Kurt Busch Wins at Texas, Wreck Cuts Jimmie Johnson's Lead

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Jimmie Johnson's drive to history took a hard hit against the wall and Kyle Busch ran out of gas trying to complete an unprecedented NASCAR trifecta. Kurt Busch won at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, taking over the lead ...