Jimmie Johnson could clinch NASCAR title in Phoenix

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, is introduced with The Great American Sweethearts during the victory champagne toast in The Speedway Club after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 4, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, is introduced with The Great American Sweethearts during the victory champagne toast in The Speedway Club after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 4, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)

It isn’t over, but NASCAR’s penultimate race in the 2012 season could be the event where Jimmie Johnson clinches his sixth NASCAR title.  Johnson is in control as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway for Sunday’s Advocare 500.  With a seven point lead Johnson knows it’s his Chase to win, or lose.

“It’s a small amount of control, but we’re definitely in control,” Johnson said. “We don’t have to catch any or make up any points. Seven points is nothing to feel comfortable about and to relax on. We’re still going to go into Phoenix and act as if we’re behind and go in there to try to sit on the pole and win the race again.”

Johnson has a pretty good shot at another win Sunday; he leads all active drivers with four wins here and has earned more points in the last five races at Phoenix than any other driver. Johnson also has the highest average finish and the highest driver rating among the top 12 drivers. The only hope the rest of the field has is that Johnson’s last victory came in 2009.  But, in the last five races Johnson has finished fifth or better in four events. MORE>>>

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.