Recent history has not been kind to Jimmie Johnson at Kansas. Credit: Autostock

Johnson preaches patience at Kansas

Despite disasterous result last year, No. 48 team confident

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- In seven races at the two tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit that may be the most identical -- Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway -- Jimmie Johnson has six top-10 finishes.

	Scott Riggs will run a backup car Sunday at Kansas. Credit: Autostock
	Happy Hour Speeds Banquet 400 Pos. Driver Make 1. Elliott Sadler Ford 2. Carl Edwards Ford 3. Matt Kenseth Ford 4. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 5. Kurt Busch Ford Complete Speeds, click here 1st Practice Speeds, click here

However, it's that seventh one that he'd like to get back.

Johnson crashed out of last October's Banquet 400 at Kansas, finishing 32nd. He rallied to win four of the next five races but had to settle for second in the championship, eight points shy of Kurt Busch.

"If I remember right, we spun with (Busch) and then later in traffic, I was just being too aggressive," Johnson said. "You have to start the car very loose -- especially in traffic -- to be competitive at the end of a run.

"It was on a restart and I was trying to get going. I think I was on the top side of the racetrack off of Turn 2 and just spun out."

A trio of Fords were the only three cars to exceed 179 mph. Elliott Sadler put up a 179.372 mph flyer right at the end of Happy Hour to edge Carl Edwards, whose best lap was 179.319 mph. Matt Kenseth also ran 179.004.

Scott Wimmer's lap of 178.283 topped the first 80-minute practice.

Scott Riggs was forced to pull out a backup Chevrolet after contact with the wall in the first practice. Michael Waltrip suffered minor damage to the right rear of his Chevy when he looped it coming out of Turn 4 near the end of the second session.

With just a few minutes remaining, P.J. Jones flattened the right side of his Dodge in one final effort to find speed for Saturday's Bud Pole Qualifying.

Johnson, who won the pole for the 2003 race here, was 18th fastest in the first practice and 38th in the second, although teammate Jeff Gordon was fourth quickest.

Clint Bowyer practiced the No. 29 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick, who was heading back to North Carolina immediately following Busch qualifying because of an illness in the family.

Johnson said of the five 1.5-mile intermediate tracks, Chicagoland and Kansas Speedways are the only ones that behave the same.

"They are very similar," Johnson said. "With the success we've had at both tracks, I'm excited. We ran really well at Chicago earlier this year and we've also been here and tested a couple of weeks ago."

That should bode well for a return to form Sunday. Johnson has been no worse than fourth in four tries at Chicagoland and a 10th and seventh at Kansas, not counting his 2004 disaster.

"Our 1.5-mile stuff has been a lot better of late and there has been a lot of hard work going on to get ready for the final 10," Johnson said. "Our testing plan has really come into play.

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"We're in a much more competitive position this year at this race than we were last year. I think our performance so far shows that, as well as in the Chase. We're just better prepared."

Based on past performance, the schedule certainly has to play in Johnson's favor.

"I think over time, we've all realized that if it's a ballgame or even racing, there are certain stats that continue to produce," Johnson said. "We look at those things and it helps us prepare for the race coming up.

"Going to Charlotte, there is really only one direction for us to go and that's not winning. If that happens, so be it. But I really feel comfortable and confident about our chances there."