CASPER
New member
DOVER, Del. (AP)—Jimmie Johnson says winning a Chase race gives his No. 48 team direction. If the last three seasons are his map, all roads lead toward another Sprint Cup championship.
Johnson has the Chase for the championship victory. All he needs now is that points lead.
Johnson thumped the competition in the second Chase for the championship race, sweeping the season races at Dover International Speedway to accelerate his bid for an unprecedented fourth straight championship.
“I certainly hope that our performance today scares some people and affects them in a way that benefits us,” Johnson said.
Johnson sliced Mark Martin’s points lead with the victory—his fourth of the year and 44th overall—in the second of 10 races in the Chase. Martin holds a 10-point lead over Johnson heading into Week 3 at Kansas Speedway.
“We’re going to race our guts out no matter where we wind up, and no matter how they are,” Martin said. “That dude still is Superman in my book. Looked like it today.”
Johnson was pretty super on the concrete in the No. 48 Chevrolet. Johnson, who tire-tested in August at Dover, won from the pole. He led 298 laps when he won at Dover in May and added another 271 on the 1-mile concrete track Sunday. Johnson won for the fifth time at Dover.
“That’s right boys, maximum points! Thank you!” Johnson said over the radio.
No winner of the second Dover race has ever gone on to win the Cup championship. If any driver can reverse that trend, it’s Johnson. Much as he did in May, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet was out in front for the majority of the 400-mile race.
Chase drivers took nine of the first 11 spots. Martin followed last week’s win at New Hampshire with a second-place finish. Juan Pablo Montoya was fourth and Kurt Busch fifth.
Matt Kenseth was the highest non-Chase driver at third.
Other Chase driver results saw Jeff Gordon finish sixth, Kasey Kahne was eighth, Tony Stewart ninth and Ryan Newman 10th. Carl Edwards was 11th, Greg Biffle 13th, Brian Vickers 18th and Denny Hamlin 22nd.
“It’s just two races,” Martin said. “I still say that there’s 12 in and 12 can win. It might be a challenge for a couple of the ones toward the end of the back.”
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus also won their 15th Chase race. No one is better down the stretch and it’s the main reason why the No. 48 team is going for its record fourth straight title.
Johnson has the Chase for the championship victory. All he needs now is that points lead.
Johnson thumped the competition in the second Chase for the championship race, sweeping the season races at Dover International Speedway to accelerate his bid for an unprecedented fourth straight championship.
“I certainly hope that our performance today scares some people and affects them in a way that benefits us,” Johnson said.
Johnson sliced Mark Martin’s points lead with the victory—his fourth of the year and 44th overall—in the second of 10 races in the Chase. Martin holds a 10-point lead over Johnson heading into Week 3 at Kansas Speedway.
“We’re going to race our guts out no matter where we wind up, and no matter how they are,” Martin said. “That dude still is Superman in my book. Looked like it today.”
Johnson was pretty super on the concrete in the No. 48 Chevrolet. Johnson, who tire-tested in August at Dover, won from the pole. He led 298 laps when he won at Dover in May and added another 271 on the 1-mile concrete track Sunday. Johnson won for the fifth time at Dover.
“That’s right boys, maximum points! Thank you!” Johnson said over the radio.
No winner of the second Dover race has ever gone on to win the Cup championship. If any driver can reverse that trend, it’s Johnson. Much as he did in May, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet was out in front for the majority of the 400-mile race.
Chase drivers took nine of the first 11 spots. Martin followed last week’s win at New Hampshire with a second-place finish. Juan Pablo Montoya was fourth and Kurt Busch fifth.
Matt Kenseth was the highest non-Chase driver at third.
Other Chase driver results saw Jeff Gordon finish sixth, Kasey Kahne was eighth, Tony Stewart ninth and Ryan Newman 10th. Carl Edwards was 11th, Greg Biffle 13th, Brian Vickers 18th and Denny Hamlin 22nd.
“It’s just two races,” Martin said. “I still say that there’s 12 in and 12 can win. It might be a challenge for a couple of the ones toward the end of the back.”
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus also won their 15th Chase race. No one is better down the stretch and it’s the main reason why the No. 48 team is going for its record fourth straight title.
