Atlanta spins damage Johnson's title hopes

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Jimmie Johnson suffered a significant setback Sunday in his bid to become the first rookie champion in Winston Cup Series history.

NAPA 500 Jimmie Johnson isn't bothered by a 22nd-place finish. Play video  •  Results  •  Standings  •  Video Highlights

After starting the NAPA 500 from the outside pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Johnson was biding his time in the top-10 as the race neared the halfway point when, on lap 138 he entered Turn 4 just ahead of Michael Waltrip.

Nearing the exit of the corner, Johnson lost control of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet and spun out, flat-spotting three of four tires and damaging the left front and right rear of the machine.

After multiple pit stops -- first for left-side tires and to repair the left front fender, then again for right-side rubber and a strip of tape on the left front portion of the hood -- he returned to the track in 19th position, the last car on the lead lap.

Fighting an aerodynamic disadvantage, Johnson struggled to ascend any higher than 15th.

Running 17th on lap 231, Johnson got loose off of Turn 2 and looped it once again, this time just ahead of leader and eventual winner Kurt Busch.

Once again, the tires were flattened, requiring multiple stops for tires and a shock adjustment by crew chief Chad Knaus, who climbed from atop the pit box to make the necessary adjustment.

"We had a loose race car and spun out twice but luckily didn't hit anything," Johnson said. "We just really expected the track to tighten up a lot more and it didn't. I kept hanging on and hanging on and the longer we'd go, the looser it'd get and I spun out."

Johnson restarted in 22nd position, one lap down, on lap 237. Eleven laps later, the race was called due to rain.

"When we spun out, the tire got in the canister and did a little damage to the shock on that second spin," Johnson said. "I was having a little trouble getting back going, but luckily the rains came and I didn't have to fight in any longer."

Meanwhile, Tony Stewart finished fourth and Mark Martin eighth, dropping Johnson from second to third in the championship standings.

Coming into Atlanta, he trailed Stewart by 82 points. Heading to Rockingham, Stewart holds a 146-point lead over Martin, 150 over Johnson.

"No, there's no heartbreak," Johnson said. "That's something we didn't need for the big picture, but this stuff is supposed to happen. There's three races to go and a lot can happen. That 20 car finishes 25th and we're right back in it.

"I don't think anything takes us out of the points battle. There's three races to go. All anybody needs to do is finish 25th or 30th and we're right back in the middle of it. This help us by any means, but we'll be alright."

Though Johnson doesn't feel his team is finished just yet, he admits the title is Stewart's to lose.

"It's for them to lose," Johnson said. "Before, we had a shot at our own destiny. Now that opportunity is probably out the window. But hey, we're rookies, we're not supposed to be here. We'd love to win this thing, but we're going to go on to Rockingham and do what we can and see what happens."