Jimmie Johnson doesn't have his fourth-consecutive Sprint Cup Series title in the bag just yet. Three drivers, who just happen to all be Hendrick Motorsports wheel men -- Johnson, Mark Martin, and Jeff Gordon -- all head into Miami not mathematically eliminated from title contention. Gordon, however, will be eliminated once Johnson starts Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
That'll leave Johnson and Martin, who is 108 points behind Johnson, to fight it out for the 2009 champion's trophy.
“We need to show up, blinders on, focused, get all that we can,” Johnson said. “We just can't coast. We can't chill out. We have to stay focused and keep our heads down on the job at hand.”
While HMS drivers currently claim the top-three positions, it's not a given that the team will own all three spots when the curtain falls on the 2009 season after Sunday's race.
Kurt Busch, currently the fourth-place driver, is only 49 points behind Gordon, so he has the potential of spoiling a Hendrick 1-2-3 finish.
The tightest battle among Chase contenders is the fight for fifth. As of now, two-time champion Tony Stewart has it and Juan Montoya wants it. One position on the race track could determine which of these two ends the season in the fifth spot, because Montoya's only four points behind Stewart in sixth.
Television coverage for Sunday's Ford 400 is slated for a 2:30 p.m. ET start on ABC.
To be notified when new articles are posted, follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/nascarexaminer or become a fan of NASCAR Examiner on Facebook.
Comments