Sweep at Phoenix would boost Gordon's title hopes

Tight, tough and unyielding.

Description applicable both to the setting of Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 (3 p.m. ET, ABC) and to the title battle it features.

As the Nextel Cup Series roars into Phoenix International Raceway, reigning series champion Jimmie Johnson leads four-time series champion Jeff Gordon by 30 points atop the standings.

Sunday's event is the penultimate in the 2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup and focus has crystallized upon those two drivers.

Although third-place Clint Bowyer lurks 181 points behind Johnson, the title-eligible pairing of past and present champions appears set. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates have traded the Chase lead throughout the first eight events.

"We have momentum going our direction right now," Johnson said, "but it's only 30 points. And if you look at the last two weeks, I've been able to make up roughly 60 points, and Jeff hasn't had bad races the last two events. He's had strong finishes. So it's not like he's had bad nights. So I can finish 10th and he can win and I'm back in second."

Johnson enjoys the most momentum; he's fresh off three consecutive victories for the second time in his six-year career. The last time Johnson won back-to-back-to-back was during the '04 Chase. Johnson also owns a series-high nine wins in '07.

"You have to give credit to Jimmie and the 48 crew," Gordon said. "They've made some good calls in the pits and they've had cars that can win.

"The biggest thing right now is we're getting beat and they're the ones winning the races. We have to put pressure back on them and outperform them. They're on a roll right now and we've got to answer this weekend."

This weekend's locale may favor Gordon, who excels on Phoenix's narrow, flat 1-mile track. He won in April from the pole -- his first Phoenix victory -- and has three poles, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes there.

"Performance-wise, I think we have a little bit of an advantage over the 48 team [at Phoenix]," Gordon said. "But Jimmie's tough [at Phoenix], and that team has shown they can step it up when they need to. It's only a matter of time before he gets his first win [at Phoenix].

"The best way for us to make sure they don't get that win this weekend is to be the first across the finish line."

Gordon also has a series-high 20 top-fives and 29 top-10s in '07. He has six wins, second only to Johnson.

"We're just going to keep playing it smart and being consistent -- just keep doing the things we've done all year," Gordon said. "If it comes down to being smart and staying out of trouble, I think we still have a great shot at the championship."

No. 22 car tightens grip on 35th place

A 21st-place finish last week at Texas halted the No. 22 Toyota's recent streak of consecutive bad outings at Martinsville and Atlanta. Which means driver Dave Blaney and his Bill Davis-owned team gained some points -- and breathing room -- in their quest to retain the crucial 35th spot in the car owner standings.

Blaney's team now leads its closest pursuer -- the No. 21 Ford owned by Glen Wood and driven by Bill Elliott -- by 127 points in the owner standings. The margin between positions 35 and 36 had shrunk to 82 points, thanks to consecutive finishes outside the top 30 by the No. 22.

Blaney and his team are only 23 points out of the 34th position, currently held by the No. 45 Dodge owned and driven by Kyle Petty.