Auto Racing | Johnson collects 3rd 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).