CUP: Johnson Relaxed, Confident As History Nears

Sprint Cup

CUP: Johnson Relaxed, Confident As History Nears

Jimmie Johnson needs only to finish 25th in Sunday’s Ford 400 to clinch his fourth straight Sprint Cup title...

Tom Jensen | Posted November 19, 2009 Homestead, FL

Jimmie Johnson could leave the Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion for the fourth time. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

In case there was any doubt whatsoever where Jimmie Johnson's head is at these days as he hunts for a record fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, the El Cajon, Calif., native laid it all out Thursday afternoon.

“I am out of emotion,” Johnson said during a press conference in Coral Gables, Fla., one of the kickoff events to Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “There is no emotion. It's all business. It's about showing up tomorrow, putting in the best lap I can, driving the car as hard as can I on Saturday, making sure the car is set up right, and doing my job on Sunday. I am not allowing my mind to slip any.”

And that pretty much sums up Johnson’s mood as he carries a 108-point lead over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin heading into Sunday’s season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead.

One way or another, Johnson has a date with history.

Sunday night, Johnson will either become the first driver to win four Cup championships in a row, or Martin will become the oldest driver to win the title. And Johnson is still carrying the painful memories of two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, when he was hit by Sam Hornish Jr. on Lap 3 and went into the wall en route to a 38th-place finish. On that day, Martin finished fourth and gained 111 points on Johnson, narrowing a gap that had been 184 points all the way down to just 73 before Johnson widened again last weekend at Phoenix.

“It was hard to look at a 184-point lead and have something positive come through my mind,” said Johnson. “Lap 3 it was gone. It was like, ‘Wow, I'm not going to let that happen again.’ So it's all business this week.”

Martin, a pronounced long shot, agreed.

“I have focused the same every race all year,” said Martin, who has won five races this season. “I'm excited about going to Homestead because I can't wait to go to work with my team, to compete in each practice session, and to compete in qualifying, and compete for the race. And if we do a good job, then we'll do well.”

As for the points, Martin hasn’t changed his tune all season. Where he finishes is where he finishes.

“I'm not looking over my shoulder or looking ahead, either one,” said Martin. “Definitely, you know, I'm sure that we could wind up fourth in the points, which is something no one has even considered. But I'm not thinking about that. I'm neither worried about that or Jimmie. I'm excited about going to work and competing in every event there, which to me a practice session is one. I try to win those, too. Every time I strap in that race car, I'd like to be the fastest dude out there.”

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Tom Jensen

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