CUP: Johnson Ready To Roll

Sprint Cup

CUP: Johnson Ready To Roll

Jimmie Johnson is looking to win a fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship...

Tom Jensen | Posted August 14, 2009 Brooklyn, MI

Jimmie Johnson is currently in second place in the Sprint Cup points race. (Photo: Getty Images)

The heat of summer has always been Tony Stewart’s best time, but the prime spot of Jimmie Johnson’s season is still on the horizon: The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

In the entire five-year history of the Chase format, Johnson has been virtually untouchable, as he’s won the Chase three times, finished second by a mere 8 points once and fifth once. No one has posted closing numbers anywhere near what Johnson has, and the California native is clearly fired up about the stretch run of NASCAR’s season.

NASCAR is at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, where in June Johnson was leading the race when he ran out of gas on the last lap. Johnson met with reporters at MIS Friday morning, where he talked about the upcoming race, the Chase and other topics. Excerpts follow.

TALK ABOUT MICHIGAN.
Excited about it. We led so many laps in the spring race and right about this area ran out of gas and didn’t make it back around. So we’re very excited about things. It hasn’t been too much time since we raced here last so I feel like we should be very competitive and race for the win.

CARL (EDWARDS) HASN’T WON A RACE YET AND HE’S THE DEFENDING CHAMPION HERE, DO YOU STILL LOOK AT HIM AS A THREAT TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE ANYBODY CAN WIN THE TITLE THIS YEAR WITHOUT A WIN?
No, I don’t think you can win the title without a win and I still do look at Carl as a big threat. He’s been consistent. We all know they haven’t had the speed that we’re used to seeing and he’s still been able to hang tough in the points. Ten races is three months of racing basically plus another month, so three to four months worth of racing a lot can happen.

IN A CONFRONTATION WITH ANOTHER DRIVER, ARE THERE TIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH A FORCEFUL RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY TO SHOW THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BACK DOWN?
There is in the public’s view. There are guys that are really witty and quick and good at that. Dale (Earnhardt) Jr., you know he’s not the most social guy out there, but he can come up with some witty one-line answers in those moments and he’s one of the best at it. Stewart is great at it.

I’m not so good at it. It’s not what I’m good at. So I guess that might be a breakdown in understanding me from time to time. I’m a lot more effective I think with my strategy. When you use the microphone and pop off and say something in front of a big group of people it does nothing but make that guy mad and in the back of his mind he’s going to wait for his chance. I feel that the way I handle things is usually more effective.

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Tom Jensen

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