And down the stretch ...

One more race left in this season. Whether that's good or bad, only you can decide but come next week, you'll likely see Jimmie Johnson raise the championship trophy for a record-breaking fourth consecutive time.

Johnson's victory Sunday at Phoenix gives him a 108-point lead on Mark Martin. Nine times in 265 races Martin has outgained Johnson by 108 or more points in a race, including once this year (Texas when Johnson was wrecked). That's a success rate of 3.4 percent for Martin. All Johnson has to do at Homestead is finish 25th or better and he wins the title.

So, when you look at this title Chase, Johnson has a lead like Secretariat did at the Belmont in 1973 to win the Triple Crown.

And Martin suggests Johnson's streak might not be ending any time soon.

“From my experience from 1981 to today, no one has been able to sustain the kind of performance they have,’’ Martin said of Johnson’s team. “It might come unraveled at any time, but I don’t see that. I see that continuing for a long time.’’

So, then how can Martin and his team beat Johnson?

“I’ve got to find a way to work harder,’’ said Martin, considered among the most dedicated drivers in the sport. “I’ve got to dig deeper. I’ve got to find some more.’’

Here's what Johnson said about his win, which came a week after the Texas crash that cost him 111 points.

"Pretty bummed out after last week,'' Johnson said. "(Crew chief) Chad (Knaus) did a great job of kind of steering the team, keeping everybody's spirits up, focused on the right things. Very proud of the team, how we can bounce back, stay focused on the right things and get the job done. I'm very excited. A great position to be in, but Texas last week, as we all know, anything can happen. That was proof of it. So, looking forward to Homestead. Yes, I am excited. We need to go down there, qualify up front, run up front all night long and stay out of trouble.''

Johnson's win marked the sixth in a row for Hendrick Motorsports at Phoenix International Raceway. It was Johnson's fourth Phoenix win in the last five races. So, what is it about this track and Johnson? Let third-place finisher Denny Hamlin tell you.

"For whatever reason, turn three, everyone enters that corner the same, but he can just accelerate off the corners much, much better than a lot of guys,’’ said third-place finisher Denny Hamlin about Johnson. “That's what makes him so strong on the short tracks and one of the guys you usually have to beat every time.’’

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Did you notice that Jeff Burton finished 2nd and has really had some good runs lately? This was his third consecutive top-10 finish _ somethign he hasn't done all season _ and marked the fifth time in row he has placed in the top 15 (again something he hadn't done until now).

"Obviously we're real happy with the way we ran,'' Burton said. "We had a long way to come. I did not a very good job on Friday qualifying, got us behind. Made a lot of spots up early. We made a lot of spots up in the pits, too. We had one pit stop early that wasn't good, but the rest of them were really good. I picked up a lot of spots.

"We had the car to win the race, we just didn't have the track position to win the race. That goes back to what we did on Friday. I got to get better at that. I'm 42, still learning. I will get better at it.

"We're building on something. We're working hard on our equipment, working hard on our communication, working hard on paying attention to how I drive. Everybody's looking at themselves in the mirror, and the results are showing.''

Also, Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer finished seventh. But teammates Casey Mears (27th) and Kevin Harvick (24th) did not have as good of days.

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# Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s struggles continue. He barely ran in the top 15 until he spun and caused a multi-car crash. Earnhardt finished 35th. He's placed 30th or worse 10 times this year and has only 5 top 10s to counter that. Ouch.

Here's what Dale Jr. said about the incident: "I hate it for everyone who got caught up in that. Tht was a pretty big mess. I was trying to spin the car down the track, just driving it wide open into the inside wall, and I couldn't get out of everybody's way. We got something broke on the motor where it's got an oil leak and we can't find it. It's been like this the whole race and we just got to find out what it is and try to get back out.''

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Martin Truex Jr. on his fifth-place finish and his thoughts of going into Homestead _ his final race with EGR _ before he moves on to Michael Waltrip Racing.

"It's huge to me because those guys are just like brothers to me. We're just like a family. I wanted it so bad all year. I've been trying all year. I think sometimes we try to hard and that's what gets us in trouble and causes problems.''

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SHORT TAKES

# Rick Hendrick is assured of a ninth Cup title _ four titles with Jeff Gordon, three with Jimmie Johnson, one with Terry Labonte and one with either Johnson or Mark Martin next weekend at Homestead.

# None of the top 22 spots in the driver standings changed after Sunday's race.

# Only four drivers led at least a lap Sunday. Jimmie Johnson led 238 of the 312 laps.

# Denny Hamlin finished third. This has been his Chase (in order): 2nd, 22nd, 5th, 37th, 42nd, 1st, 38th, 2nd and 3rd. Can you say up and down?

# Kurt Busch followed his Texas win by placing sixth Sunday.

# Jeff Gordon finished 9th. In his last three races he's placed 20th, 13th and 9th.

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