Casey Mears

Jimmie Johnson isn't responsible for the recession, global warming or unfairness of the BCS. Nor is he at fault for NASCAR's sagging attendance, flat TV ratings or the fact that none of the more colorful characters can keep up with him. As he gets ready to likely collect a record fourth consecutive championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway - he won the pole Friday - you might think otherwise.

He's just a very humble person who has a tremendous amount of talent   -Dale Jarrett

 

"The closer you get to the equator, the more popular he is, I think." - Ryan Newman, on Juan Pablo Montoya. "It was really tough to have a season that had been really good kind of fall apart on us." --

This is probably the year I crashed the least of any season in NASCAR.   -Kasey Kahne

 

Hendrick Motorsports, being notably adept at tying loose ends, announced the retention of Lowe's as sponsor and Jimmie Johnson as driver of the team's No. 48 Chevrolet. Johnson and Lowe's will remain paired through 2013, which is rather significant since Johnson is likely to win his record fourth consecutive Sprint Cup championship in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnson's career winning percentage, .162, is exceeded by only three drivers (with 40 or more victories) in NASCAR history

It’s tough because things aren’t done   -Kasey Kahne

 

For Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon, the mission at Sunday's Ford 400 is simple. All three want to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. But for the other 40 drivers in the race, there are much different priorities.

We were so good last season, but it doesn't really work like that   -Carl Edwards

 

If you didn't get to see the championship contenders press conference on Speed Channel today, the point of emphasis is history. Consider: Jimmie Johnson is going for a record-breaking fourth Cup title in a row. Or Mark Martin could become the oldest Cup champion if he wins his first crown.

He did that just to (tick) me off   -Chad Knaus

 

Here's a look at the top five drivers in the Sprint Cup Series standings along with five more winless drivers to watch in Sunday's Ford 400. (Winless drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick were featured last week.) All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Homestead-Miami Speedway unless otherwise indicated.  

Leave it to Jack Daniel's to come up with a personal touch for their finale as primary sponsor for Richard Childress Racing's No. 07 Chevrolet Impala SS this weekend in Homestead-Miami Speedway. Just like Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel personally made sure his recipe for Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 was always carried out by human touch. So, they placed the names of everyone who worked on the program since partnering with RCR in 2005 right on the hood of the No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet.  

For Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon, the mission at Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway is simple. All three want to win the Sprint Cup Series championship. But for the other 40 drivers in the race, there are much different priorities.

We were so good last season, but it doesn't really work like that   -Carl Edwards

 

Jimmie Johnson's clinch number is 25 as he goes to Miami with another big lead. Jeff Gordon on Jimmie's success, Casey Mears on 2010, and Tony Stewart on Season 1 at Stewart-Haas Racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is No. 1 and No. 2, and we go inside the mind of the Evil Genius.