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.
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Although his Hendrick team initially celebrated as if the title had been locked up, the No. 48 crew quickly settled down in Victory Lane.
"I can't put my guard down," Johnson said, "anything and everything can go wrong."
It did a week ago in Texas, where Johnson was caught in a wreck three laps into the race and had to sit inside his disabled race car as his crew did a total rebuild of the Chevrolet. He limped to a 38th-place finish that cost him 111 points in the standings.
It still left him with a 73-point lead over Martin headed into Phoenix, but Johnson refused to play it safe and coast to the win. He raced hard all weekend, intent on bouncing back with a dominating showing in the desert.
"We could have easily been beat down, and certainly there were some dark moments over the past week thinking about the points lost," Johnson said. "We didn't, though. But we saw in Texas that anything can happen, so we don't need to get too excited about this."
Martin finished fourth, respectable but not the showing he needed to move closer to the championship that has eluded him his entire NASCAR career. The sentimental favorite this year will likely finish second in the final standings for a fifth time.
"We gave it everything we had," Martin said.He's the only driver still in mathematical contention to catch Johnson. Fellow Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon will be eliminated as soon as Johnson starts next Sunday's race, and Johnson's win at Phoenix knocked everyone else out of contention.
Martin, however, is refusing to concede to Johnson and said he won't let up next week in Homestead as he tries to at least stave off Gordon for second in the final standings. But should Johnson coast to the win, Martin will be fine.
"We've still got to go to Homestead and run like this again, because we still have heat behind us, Jeff Gordon, especially," Martin said. "I definitely have been beat by the best -- Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt. It wouldn't embarrass me if it was Jimmie Johnson as well.
Jeff Burton finished second and was followed by Denny Hamlin, Martin and pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr.
Kurt Busch, winner last week at Texas, finished sixth. Clint Bowyer was seventh and followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, Gordon, and David Reutimann.
Nobody was surprised to see Johnson in Victory Lane, particularly since he'd had such a rare race the week before.
"Anytime that Jimmie is down is not usually because of performance, it's usually because of an incident like last week," Hamlin said. "There was no doubt in my mind they were going to come this week and make a statement. Obviously leading all the laps pretty much and winning the race sends a statement out there that he is the best, that they're not going to be denied this year."
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Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Human-Nights:
Cheating,Cheating, Cheating is all the 48 is doing.
Hendrich owns the souls of NASCAR leadership. OOPS!! There is NO leadership in NASCAR sorry.. The clowns of NASCAR are over looking the cheating for fan support to push a four time winner.
The racing is borring. What ever happened to that Dale Jr. He needs a lesson in dressing, looked like a bum/slob at CMA awards.. Then maybe that is the dress of NASCAR slot car race drivers..
cheating my butt, you must be a kyle busch fan. always crying when it doesnt go your way .waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa shut up
That's right, beerdude the 48 team has built itself on a big cheat.It has been obvious week after week! Buy yourself a nascar scanner and you will find out on your own.JJ is not a real champion and never was! HE IS A MANUFACTURED CHAMPION BY NASCAR RICK H. AND THE CHEAT KING CREW CHIEF CHEAT KNAUS!.
Get that thru your head and i'm not a kyle busch fan and never was or will be!.
Get real, all the teams cheat!!!!!!
How many Championships Superman (UGH) win under the old format?? How about zero! So NAHMCR (National Association of Hendrick Motorsports Auto Racing) comes out with this naw formula called the (UGH) Chase where a driver can sandbag all year (Johnson) get real good on 10 racetracks and win the championship every year!! His records mean NOTHING! Dale Sr., The King, Wallace, Waltrip, Baker etc had to race the WHOLE season to win a championship, not just 10 races!! No matter how much ESPN/ABC and Jerry Punch slurp on Johnson he is not the greatest ever. Not even best today. Same equipment and Gordon, Stewart, Martin and Carl Edwards could do the same thing. Notice how many empty seats there are at races now, even though ESPN/ABC don't show them or talk about it. This is why Brian France. Can't believe your daddy left an idiot like you in charge. While we are at it, where is Bob Jenkins? Love Jerry Punch as a pit reporter, but AWFUL at race play by play. So you all can slurp him, but Dale Sr and Jeff Gordon will always be the best. Jimmie is lucky he came along when he did. As far as records, if baseball changed the rules to 2 balls for a walk and 6 strikes for an out and moved in the fences to 200 Feet would the records mean the same as 1927 or 2009 for that matter? What if the Super Bowl was only 2 quarters long? Same thing with the chase. New rules, NEW RECORDS!! No Comparisons!!
You need to give Johnson his due, he's a dang good racer no matter what anyone says. First, how many years did Johnson race under the old format, 2 (his rookie year and yr. 2). In those 2 years he finished in the top 5 in the points. And how about your statement if Gordon, Stewart and Martin had the same equipment they could do the same thing. This statement tells me you don't know Nascar racing just someone who wants to come on here and make dumb statements. Gordon, Martin and Stewart all drive Hendricks built cars just like Johnson. And where has Johnson sandbagged, he has won 7 races this year and 47 since 2002, I wouldn't call that sandbagging. As far as the Chase, I hate it. Under the old rules the winner only got 5 more points than 2nd. They should have kept the old points and gave winners an extra 25 points, you'd sure see some racing then. As far as all these people yelling cheat, lets be real, all the teams cheat. Johnson is a damn good driver, but I still think Petty, Pearson, Dale Sr and others were better, but Johnson is good too. And I'm not even a Johnson fan, I like David Reutimann (wish he was in a Ford or Chevy, lol) and Marcus Ambrose (love his attitude). Plus I like Jr. but know he's not his Daddy.
Actually he would have already won 2 of the past 3 in the old points system you can look it up.He would probally win this season in the old points system as long as he finishes ahead of Stewart by a few posistions. He would have taken the points lead after Phoenix in the old system. But you can't live in the past. 12 drivers same chance.
Agreed,he is still a pus that never has any bad luck and he will never ever be embraced by 'true' Nascar fans.
What Planet do you people come from. Congrats JJ
We all come from the planet Reality Check. Flights departing Weekly.
FROM THE REALITY PLANET WHERE WWNF FICTION IS NOT ALLOWED DEAR.
*Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn*. What's this talk about a "Chase"?
It was amusing hearing Jerry Punch talk about how the fans were cheering Johnson and appreciating what he was doing when it was obvious there were boos and general apathy toward Johnson's win from the crowd. As opposed to last week, when Johnson wrecked 3 laps in and the crowd was on its feet in a frenzy, cheering his misfortune. And NASCAR continues to insist that the Chase is what the fans want and that the sport is as great as ever.
Then again, this is the same NASCAR that declared the race 2 weeks ago at Talladega a great success and an exciting race. Maybe we should be asking what planet THEY come from.
my god, just because jimmy doesnt cause trouble or isnt annn butthead like kyle busch you all hate him. maybe if your driver would be able to stick with him then maybe it would be a interesting chase. so until your man can step up to the plate and be a threat just sit back and watch history in the making.
WRONG BEERMAN! DEADLY WRONG!WE WILL NOT SEAT BACK AND WATCH THIS MOVIE CALLED; THE MAKING OF A RACING CHAMPION. DID YOU VIEW THE MAKING OF A STAR
with joan collins and the unskilled karate actor trying to imitate and beat CHUCK NORRIS years ago?
DID YOU? JIMMY JOHNSON IS THE MAKING OF A DADDY BOY IN TO A 4 TIME CHAMP BY NASCAR,HENDRICK AND THE BIGGEST CHEATER IN NASCAR HISTORY CHEAT KNAUS!
GUARANTEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
What "history"? The only history that will be recognized is that once NASCAR overhauled the points system (that WASN'T BROKEN TO BEGIN WITH) and came up with some hokey way to have a "playoff system", Johnson started his run. Jimmie Johnson and his accomplishments will NEVER be held in the same esteem as Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, Yarborough, or Gordon. EVER. No matter how much NASCAR and its broadcast shills try to pass off what he's doing as "historic".
What history will remember about Brian France and Jimmie Johnson is that during the so-called "historic" run, they turned off more fans to the sport than ever. The Chase is a joke and the notion that what Jimmie Johnson is doing is "historic" is an even bigger joke.
George, I agree with you the Chase sucks (as does the COT). But the old points system was broke, it gave the drivers no real incentive to win. The name of the game is winning races (which makes racing exciting, a close finish), not just running for points. I've always been a believer that the winner of the race should have gotten say a 25 point bonus for winning (they only get 5 more points than 2nd place). I do agree the Chase is ruining Nascar, it's turning us real fans off (as is the COT). And you say Johnson will NEVER be held in the same esteem as Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, Yarborough, or Gordon. And maybe he shouldn't but Nascar can take that blame. But I do believe he is a damn good racer, with 47 wins in 8 years of racing, never out of the top 5 in points which includes his rookie year and 2nd year which were both under the old system. But I'm with you lets go back to the old points with more given to the winner and get rid of the COT but save the safety features of them. GO MARK "the kid" MARTIN!
Come on fellas if this was your driver would you still be saying that stuff?I myself give credit to the man FOUR in a row is pretty impressive
DUDE, YOU GOT A TRASHY MOUTH.AND JJ 4 IN A ROW?
ANYBODY CAN MAKE 4 COMEDY CHAMPS IN A ROW.
HARDLY ANYBODY CAN WIN 4 REAL CHAMPS IN A ROW.
I absolutely would. Because the reality is that it's a different system than what the legends built their records on.
There's a reason no one ever won 4 Winston Cups consecutively. The points system was different, the drivers were different, and the driving was different. You had to be good for an entire year. As opposed to what Johnson has done: perfected the art of keeping himself in the top-12 for 26 races, then having the points reset and happening to have his best tracks be in the Chase. And the fact that so many rules have been changed to the point that the drivers nowadays are treated like QB's in the NFL; any hint of contact or "rough driving" and NASCAR has hissy fits and hands out penalties like condoms in a whorehosue. Somewhere in Heaven, Dale Sr. must be looking at what passes for "racing" nowadays and laugh to himself. If he was still with us, he probably would have made it his mission in life to run Johnson into the wall every chance he got and put him in his place and show him how real men race.
No one can say with a straight face that Johnson's accomplishment is greater than Yarborough's. And I'm betting that NASCAR will NEVER let him get close to Petty or Earnhardt's number of championships, because that would be the death knell for the sport. Whatever fans they would have left at that point would pack it up and call it a day because there is no way in hell that Johnson is anywhere near half the driver that Earnhardt or Petty was. Not. Even. Close.
EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT ROBOT JIMMY AND THE CHEAT MASTER HERE.
OMG HAVE YOU ALL SEEN WHAT A GREAT FINISH DEJ HAS ACHIEVED AGAIN? 35th AND LUCKY. CHEAT KNAUS VERY WELL IS THE BIGGEST CHEATER EVER BUT DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE BIGGEST LOSER EVER! EARNHARDT88 SUCKS! WHERE IS THE JUNIOR NATION ANYMORE?
THOSE BREAD STIX ARE GETTING STALE,LMAO.