Jimmie Johnson this week can become the first driver to clinch a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™. The five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion needs to leave Watkins Glen International with at least a 193-point lead over the driver holding the 11th position in the standings. Johnson, the only driver to appear in all previous nine editions of the Chase, currently leads 11th-place Tony Stewart by 178 points. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has never won at The Glen, but has finished third twice – including a year ago.
Jimmie Johnson
FYI WIRZ: Pocono Wall Doesn’t Slow NASCAR Point Lead Going Into Watkins Glen
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For a while last week it looked like the Pocono wall that collected Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 golden ride may have placed a big dent in a mounting point lead.
by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com
Not so fast.
Johnson’s cape got soiled a bit in Pocono, but Chad Knaus and team dusted it off and the No. 48 gained two more points after a long comeback drive. They were ready to move on.
Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania and Watkins Glen International in Upstate New York are not distant in miles, but the triangle and the road course are like two different worlds.
Johnson and team have adapted well to road courses, but then they’ve adapted to almost everything in 2013 and continue to build a point buffer that won’t be overcome by other teams before the Chase begins.
Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: Pocono Wall Doesn’t Slow NASCAR Point Lead Going Into Watkins Glen”
Video: Pole Sitter Jimmie Johnson Has Pocono Problems
on2013 NASCAR Cup Series Indianapolis Starting Lineup – Ryan Newman On Pole, 50th, Track Record
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1 39 Ryan Newman Quicken Loans / The Smurfs Chevrolet 47.992 187.531
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 48.016 187.438
3 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford 48.088 187.157
4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 48.097 187.122
5 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 48.173 186.827
6 78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row / Beautyrest Chevrolet 48.200 186.722
7 5 Kasey Kahne Great Clips Chevrolet 48.223 186.633
8 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet 48.248 186.536
9 24 Jeff Gordon Pepsi Max Chevrolet 48.264 186.474
10 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford 48.314 186.281
11 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 48.399 185.954
The Final Lap Weekly #264 NASCAR Podcast – Eldora Dirt, The Brickyard and Riki Rachtman
12 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 48.408 185.920
Johnson, Gordon Looking For Fifth NASCAR Indy Win
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Johnson, Gordon Chasing Indianapolis Victory Mark
Reigning winner Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon each has won four times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A fifth victory would match the Indianapolis winners’ record held by Formula One’s Michael Schumacher. Johnson has won four of the track’s last seven races. Gordon won the track’s inaugural event in 1994 and last visited Victory Lane there in 2004.
The Final Lap Weekly 