Despite sealing his fourth consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup triumph in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway at the weekend, points' leader Jimmie Johnson insists nothing is done and dusted just yet.
The reigning Nextel Cup king is now just one race away from successfully defending his hard-fought crown, after opening up an 86-point advantage over Hendrick Motorsports team-mate and sole title challenger Jeff Gordon courtesy of his maiden NASCAR victory in Arizona.
“I think we had a third place car most of the day,” stressed the 32-year-old, after clinching the 33rd success of his Nextel Cup career and tenth of 2007. “I think the #17 and #1 were probably the best two cars, but everything just came together for us. We finally figured out what our car wanted – to roll the centre a little bit better without sacrificing corner exit – so we were just coming into our groove, circumstances on tyres worked out and off we went.
“The lead we have is a nice, comfortable position to be in, but we've got to go down there (Homestead) and run 400 miles. That's the bottom line – if we don't run the full distance of the race, we're in trouble. I don't want to act like it's our championship yet.”
Not yet, perhaps, but for Hendrick Motorsports there is certainly reason to celebrate, having triumphed in almost half of the Nextel Cup races held in 2007 and helping to secure in Arizona Chevrolet's 26th trip to victory lane of the campaign – breaking the marque's previous record of 25 set back in 1958.
What's more, Johnson became only the eighth driver in the last 36 years – and the first since Gordon nine years ago – to win four successive races, and that means all he now requires is an 18th-placed finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway this coming weekend to wrap up the honours. He is resolutely refusing, however, to take anything for granted.
“There's no telling how things are going to go in Homestead,” he cautioned. “I know how good Jeff Gordon is, and I know how good his team is. If we put our guard down and don't try to score maximum points every week, we're going to get beat. I've been doing my part for the team and giving 100 per cent driving my butt off, and if everybody gives 100 per cent we'll get what we want. To have ten [wins] really is a surprise to us, but I need every point. The rest will fall into place.
“This certainly does take some pressure off, but we're going to go down there and try to keep it simple like we've done up to this point, just go out there, run our race and do our thing. I'm just trying to enter each race optimistic and not get caught up in things. We're getting it right and we're just rolling. We're going to take full advantage of that and try to do it one more time. I heard that no one's won five in a row – let's try to get that!
“If we just race the #24 [at Homestead] we will be in good shape, but that isn't our modus operandi. We want to be racing up-front. Jeff is a true champion, a great friend and team-mate. It has been a heck of a battle and I know it isn't over yet. He will go to Homestead and give me all he has got."
