-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Sprint Cup
HEMBREE: High Drama, High Stakes
In a dazzling finish in Texas, Jimmie Johnson keeps Brad Keselowski on the ropes…
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane by firing the commemorative Turnbull pistols after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
Well, that was fun.
Although much of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway was unfortunately typical of recent racing on 1.5-mile tracks, the closing miles were riveting, and they set up what should be a fortnight of tension leading to the season finale Nov. 18 on the south Florida coast.
It’s not often that the two drivers with the best shot at winning the Sprint Cup championship find themselves separated by only two points and racing head-to-head against each other in the final miles of the next-to-next-to-last race of the season.
This was high drama in Texas cattle country, a shootout at the Brad K corral.
In the end, Jimmie Johnson had the smoking gun.
After he and Keselowski bounced their cars into each other a couple of times with the win – and Chase momentum – on the line, Johnson took control from the beginning of the final two-lap restart and will ride into the Desert Southwest next weekend with his I’m The Favorite, As Usual shingle hanging from the doorway of the 48 team hauler.
The win and the most-laps-led label that Johnson also carried to victory lane Sunday provide him with a seven-point edge over Keselowski with Phoenix and Homestead left on the fight card.
Considering the results of the past two weeks (two poles, two wins for Johnson) and Chase history (five titles in six years for Johnson), oddsmakers will list Johnson as a comfortable favorite over the season’s final two weeks. Seven points isn’t a big margin, but when Keselowski races his guts out on a wild Texas Sunday, finishes second and still loses points to Ol’ Five-Time, the gap can look as wide as a flood-fed mountain stream.
For Keselowski, it’s not Mission: Impossible, but it’s uphill, for sure.
As Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief, pointed out after Sunday’s win, the 48 team is doing what comes naturally. Others must adjust to their schedule.
“We're really operating in our comfort zone, where I think what happens to a lot of the other teams, it takes them out of the comfort zone,” Knaus said. “They try to do more. They try to push that further. They do things that are outside the norm. I think that's where usually people get in trouble.”
Keselowski didn’t exactly get in trouble Sunday, but things went far enough to provide an Elvis sighting, at least in Johnson’s estimation of some of the racing in the closing miles.
“I’ve joked before about driving in far enough to where I see Elvis, and we went past Elvis,” he said. “I don’t know who was coming next, but that 2 car was coming up the track and took us both to the fourth and fifth lanes. … But I knew he was serious about the race lead prior to that, and that took it to a new level.”
It’s all about winning now, at least for Keselowski. Strong runs and smart strategy and over-the-edge racing – even side-by-side with the 48 – won’t count for much if he doesn’t finish in front of Johnson.
The last two weeks, no one has finished in front of Johnson.
This is the 48 Master Plan. Keselowski must out-master the masters.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
Although much of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway was unfortunately typical of recent racing on 1.5-mile tracks, the closing miles were riveting, and they set up what should be a fortnight of tension leading to the season finale Nov. 18 on the south Florida coast.
It’s not often that the two drivers with the best shot at winning the Sprint Cup championship find themselves separated by only two points and racing head-to-head against each other in the final miles of the next-to-next-to-last race of the season.
This was high drama in Texas cattle country, a shootout at the Brad K corral.
In the end, Jimmie Johnson had the smoking gun.
After he and Keselowski bounced their cars into each other a couple of times with the win – and Chase momentum – on the line, Johnson took control from the beginning of the final two-lap restart and will ride into the Desert Southwest next weekend with his I’m The Favorite, As Usual shingle hanging from the doorway of the 48 team hauler.
The win and the most-laps-led label that Johnson also carried to victory lane Sunday provide him with a seven-point edge over Keselowski with Phoenix and Homestead left on the fight card.
Considering the results of the past two weeks (two poles, two wins for Johnson) and Chase history (five titles in six years for Johnson), oddsmakers will list Johnson as a comfortable favorite over the season’s final two weeks. Seven points isn’t a big margin, but when Keselowski races his guts out on a wild Texas Sunday, finishes second and still loses points to Ol’ Five-Time, the gap can look as wide as a flood-fed mountain stream.
For Keselowski, it’s not Mission: Impossible, but it’s uphill, for sure.
As Chad Knaus, Johnson’s crew chief, pointed out after Sunday’s win, the 48 team is doing what comes naturally. Others must adjust to their schedule.
“We're really operating in our comfort zone, where I think what happens to a lot of the other teams, it takes them out of the comfort zone,” Knaus said. “They try to do more. They try to push that further. They do things that are outside the norm. I think that's where usually people get in trouble.”
Keselowski didn’t exactly get in trouble Sunday, but things went far enough to provide an Elvis sighting, at least in Johnson’s estimation of some of the racing in the closing miles.
“I’ve joked before about driving in far enough to where I see Elvis, and we went past Elvis,” he said. “I don’t know who was coming next, but that 2 car was coming up the track and took us both to the fourth and fifth lanes. … But I knew he was serious about the race lead prior to that, and that took it to a new level.”
It’s all about winning now, at least for Keselowski. Strong runs and smart strategy and over-the-edge racing – even side-by-side with the 48 – won’t count for much if he doesn’t finish in front of Johnson.
The last two weeks, no one has finished in front of Johnson.
This is the 48 Master Plan. Keselowski must out-master the masters.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
It Wasn't A Good Weekend For The Star-Spangled Banner (Video) »
-
Tweets Of The Week: All-Star Edition »
-
Mustang GT + Mark Martin's Engine = 800HP Of Street-Legal Awesomeness »
-
Kurt Busch Is Focused, But Is He A Chase Contender? »
-
Ricky vs. Danica: All-Star Race - Who's On Top This Week? »
-
Feud of the Week: Joe Gibbs Racing vs. the Sprint All-Star Race »
-
Race Day Blog: Sights and Sounds From the Sprint All-Star Race »
-
Daryl Wright Breaks It Down With Pit Road Rapper Kenyatta Houston »
Kansas Speedway
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
NNS: Allgaier Getting Closer To Victory
Justin Allgaier is fourth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points… -
CUP: Would Moving Help All-Star Race?
While spending two weeks in Charlotte provides a nice respite for… -
MCREYNOLDS: All-Star Race Brought Excitement
I think the changes made for this year’s Sprint All-Star Race… -
SPEED ALERT: Race Hub To Broadcast NASCAR Hall Of Fame's 'Class Of…
NASCAR Hall of Fame announcement on FOX Sports’ SPEED starting… -
CUP: Monday NASCAR Notebook
Jimmie Johnson has the most victories of any active driver at Charlotte… -
DW: 48 Team Is Redefining Excellence
Jimmie Johnson now stands alone as the only four-time winner of the… -
CUP: EXCLUSIVE - No Crew Chief Changes At SHR
Ryan Newman had the best finish of any of the Stewart-Haas drivers… - More News
