 | | Tony Stewart, left, and Jimmie Johnson are 1-2 in the Nextel Cup standings. Credit: Autostock |
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
August 22, 2005
04:26 PM EDT (20:26 GMT)
BROOKLYN, Mich -- Nextel Cup points leader Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson scored top-10 finishes Sunday and clinched spots in the second annual Chase for the Nextel Cup. However, Johnson still has to start the next three races to retain his berth in the Chase, which begins Sept. 18 at New Hampshire. Stewart's No. 20 Chevrolet finished fifth in the GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway and remained first in the standings, by 126 points over Johnson. Johnson, a fourth-year driver who has finished second in the standings the past two seasons, put his No. 48 Chevrolet into 10th in Sunday's "fuel mileage special." "To start 36th and end up in the top-five is a pretty good day, I'd say," Stewart said. "That's [fuel strategy] part of racing. It's frustrating to a certain degree, but like I said, you can't not smile when you come out of here with a top-five finish." Johnson agreed on the fuel situation. "It was not like we expected," Johnson said. "You usually have this happen every three or four years at Michigan. It did it today, so we came in and tried to put four [tires] on and tried to come through the field. "We were the fastest car there at the end, it's just that we gave up too much time [in the pits]. The guys that did two tires or fuel only really cycled through. They still didn't win, but that strategy was probably a little better." With three races remaining before the cutoff point for determining the field for the Chase, Stewart has 3,268 points and Johnson 3,142 -- enough to ensure that they'll remain in the top 10 in the standings. "I'm excited that we're going to be in it," Stewart said. "I'm excited that we're in a position where we're locked in already." Johnson was a bit more philosophical about clinching a spot in the Chase -- seeing the value in the fact that his Hendrick Motorsports team could either experiment in races at Bristol, California and Richmond or concentrate on maintaining their current momentum.  |  | SUPERSTORE | |
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"Yeah, that's nice," Johnson said. "It's comforting to know you're at least in the top 10 in points [and] it's a testament to these guys to clinch it with three [races] to go. "I'm excited for it and it just means we've had a great season. We shouldn't be ashamed of anything." Johnson also said he and crew chief Chad Knaus had no plans of messing with success. "No, you keep going," Johnson said. "I think it's more important to have the right mindset for collecting points and racing for a championship right now, so when you get in the final 10 you hit your stride and you're doing what you need to do. "I would expect all the other teams to be in the same mindset and everyone else will be very stingy with points and smart on the racetrack from here on out." As it was, Johnson was pleased that his team's current string of momentum builders had continued at MIS. "We learned a lot of things and I'm very happy with the racecar," Johnson said. "Indy was the start of some new things and new hope for us. Watkins Glen was good, but it's a road course -- and then, to be here today and run in the top five all day long, see the leaders, race with them and then understand where our cars are a little off, I'm very excited to go into the final 10 [races]. "I think we're getting some momentum back and heading in the right direction." Last season, Johnson broke his third consecutive engine at Michigan in August and fell into second in the standings behind teammate Jeff Gordon before he rebounded to lead the standings heading into the Chase. | 
