Originally published Monday, November 17, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print view
Auto Racing | Johnson collects 3rd title
Driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus never slowed down enough to consider what a record-tying third consecutive Sprint Cup championship would mean to their legacy.
TODD WARSHAW / GETTY IMAGES FOR NASCAR
The No. 48 Chevrolet that Jimmie Johnson drove to secure the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title is covered in confetti in victory lane Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida. Johnson, who was 15th in the Ford 400, has won three titles in a row.

Jimmie Johnson celebrates his title.
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus never slowed down enough to consider what a record-tying third consecutive Sprint Cup championship would mean to their legacy.
Don't count on them doing it now.
After tying Cale Yarborough's 30-year-old mark as the lone driver with three championships in a row at NASCAR's highest level, Johnson and Knaus already were thinking about extending their streak.
"I could go race again next week and start the season and go for four," Johnson said after Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"It's on our minds. It's not that we're chasing a number, we just know what we're capable of. We know we can do better. It's a search to do the best we can."
Knaus, the first crew chief in series history to win three consecutive titles, offered to report to work this morning. He was only partly kidding.
"We want four. Why not? That's why we're here," Knaus said. "We can definitely bid for four. Give me a reason why not."
Carl Edwards might offer a reason or two after winning Sunday's Ford 400 — his series-best ninth victory of the season — only to fall 69 points short of taking the Cup trophy from Johnson. Edwards led a race-high 157 laps, and won despite running out of fuel as he crossed the finish line.
Johnson won the title by finishing 15th of 43 in the finale.
"We won more races than Jimmie [who had seven], and we ran with him when he won," Edwards said. "I know they'll enjoy this championship, but they knew we were here."
Yarborough won his titles under a different scoring system and in a much different NASCAR.
Johnson's titles have been won in the Chase to the Cup format, where the top 12 drivers compete in what resembles a 10-race playoff.
![]()
Greg Biffle of Vancouver, Wash., 18th in the Ford 400, finished third in the Cup standings, 217 points behind Johnson. Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw was sixth in the race and 14th in the standings.
Note
• Cruz Pedregon won his second NHRA Funny Car season championship, and first in 16 years, with a victory in the season-ending Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
Eddie Krawiec won his first POWERade Series crown in Pro Stock Motorcycle, and did so without winning a race during the season.
Other season champions were Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock).
| Chase standings | |
| Driver Jimmie Johnson won NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup on Sunday. Here are the final standings: | |
| Driver | points behind |
| Jimmie Johnson | winner |
| Carl Edwards | 69 |
| Greg Biffle | 217 |
| Kevin Harvick | 276 |
| Clint Bowyer | 303 |
| Jeff Burton | 349 |
| Jeff Gordon | 368 |
| Denny Hamlin | 470 |
| Tony Stewart | 482 |
| Kyle Busch | 498 |
| Matt Kenseth | 500 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 557 |
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
More Other Sports headlines...
E-mail article
Print view Share:
Digg
Newsvine
Ron Judd: Canada needs a big loan from U.S. — snow
Community sports & recreation datebook
UPDATE - 10:32 PM
Death of Nancy Kerrigan's father is ruled a homicide | Figure skating
NEW - 08:44 PM
NW Briefs: Washington State cornerback Brandon Jones has been dismissed from team after reported DUI
NW Briefs: Edward Aliverti, famous wrestling announcer, dies at 77 | Northwest briefs

nwautos
Associated Press Study: Fatal crashes down in Washington Last year Washington's roads were the scene of the fewest fatal crashes since 1955. According...
Post a comment
nwjobs
Post a comment
Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Five reasons to stick with a job you hate -- for now
Post a comment
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Man found shot dead in pickup truck in Seattle
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Husky Football Blog | Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
- State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
- Idol Confessions | "American Idol" hopeful from Seattle didn't make it to Hollywood afterall
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- Nicole Brodeur | Chrisceda Clemmons' house wasn't the only casualty
- Teen is beaten in bus tunnel; Metro to review policies
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Republicans may be no-shows at health-plan summit
277 - State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
254 - Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
249 - Lee undergoes foot surgery
231 - Obama: GOP and Dems together can spur job growth
212 - Fort Lewis soldier charged with abusing 4-year-old, holding her head in water
193 - Rivals names Martin one of Pac-10's best recruiters
143 - Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security
133 - Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
128 - White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium
93
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- 747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
- Wine Adviser | Oregon's quality pinots join the bargain ranks
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Snap out of your photo funk: How to make sense of all those piles of images
- How clean are those pre-washed salad greens?
- Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions
- Rick Steves' Europe | What's new in Rome and Venice for 2010
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"








