Smack: 'Dega dilemma and Johnson's Chase mastery (cont'd)

2. With six races remaining, is the championship Jimmie Johnson's to lose?

Joe Menzer: No question the No. 48 is the team to beat, so I guess if you look at it that way it's his to lose. But someone could still string two or three wins in a row and put the heat on them.

Duane Cross: Jimmie Johnson is the 2008 Cup Series champion. Book the hotel rooms in New York.

David Caraviello: Strong words, Cross! I'm not quite ready to anoint him yet. Talladega actually seemed to tighten the field in some places; six drivers are now within the amount of points you can gain in one race.

Duane Cross: Yippee! There's false hope for everyone not named Johnson. C'mon David -- this team is built for the Chase format. It will not be denied. And Joe, even if someone strung together two or three wins, the 48 still will finish top-three, top-five, lead a lap, lead the most laps and won't lose ground.

Joe Menzer: That's the thing about that team. They've been here before and know how to protect -- and even build -- that Chase lead. They're all about consistency in the Chase, as history has shown.

David Caraviello: They do seem to know how to flip the switch once we get to this time of year. And their resiliency is incredible. When Jimmie was lapped so early Sunday, I thought -- uh oh, and look what happened.

Sittin' pretty

Jimmie Johnson is working on his third consecutive title and comies to a track this week where he has dominated since entering the Cup Series. The scary thing -- this is the first time he comes to the Lowe's fall race with the points lead.

• Complete story, click here
• Rodman: Who can catch JJ?
• Power Rankings: Charlotte

Joe Menzer: I agree that Duane makes a bold -- and possibly premature -- statement. But it's hard to dispute the high probability of the 48 winning it all again. If JJ does win it, we all may look back to Carl's miscue at Talladega and wonder what might have been. Or at least the folks at Roush Fenway Racing will. That was costly for all three Roush Fenway cars in the Chase.

Duane Cross: Carl will be replaying that in his mind for the rest of the year. And so will Biffle, who really got hosed. But kudos to Carl for taking the bullet -- and to Jack for loading the gun.

David Caraviello: And the question isn't will Jimmie win it -- it's if it's his to lose. And right now, you'd probably have to say yes. The way he runs at Charlotte, he could come out of Saturday with a 100-point lead.

Joe Menzer: I do seem to remember that Jeff Gordon came out of last year's Charlotte race with what seemed to be a pretty safe lead, and everyone said it was his to lose then. But did Gordon lose last year's title -- or did Johnson take it from him? I'd say with those four wins in a row down the stretch, Johnson won it.

Duane Cross: Yeah, "everyone" being those who forgot about Jimmie Johnson, who was only 68 back after Charlotte last year. Again, the 48 team has made a mockery of the Chase -- even the times JJ didn't win the title. These guys just have it knocked.

David Caraviello: Gordon had a 68-point lead after Charlotte last year, but he ran top-10 the rest of the year. He didn't lose a thing. In 2006, Jeff Burton came out of Charlotte with a 45-point lead. Johnson was 146 points back in seventh place. We all know what happened. That 48 team does have the system figured out.

Joe Menzer: The one team out there that, to me, looks like it could string three wins in a row together might be Cousin Carl's. But he'll have to put last Sunday's major gaffe in his mental rear-view mirror in a hurry if he's going to put something like that together.

Duane Cross: But he's still chasing the 48 -- and Johnson will not lose this lead. Even by winning, Carl (nor anyone else) will make up ground on the 48 top-fiving everyone.

David Caraviello: Duane brings up the key point. Jimmie has to come back to the pack, something he's shown no signs of doing the last three years, to give anyone else a shot. That ain't happening. He's like Tiger with the lead in a major on Sunday.

Joe Menzer: If something bad happens to the 48 in Charlotte -- a parts failure or a wreck not his fault -- it all could change. But they're the best at avoiding those calamities, which is what makes them so hard to beat. It's like Caraviello playing catch-up to me in a one-on-one basketball game. He has to hope for parts failure on my part, or hire someone to take me out, to have a chance.

Duane Cross: In case anyone is wondering -- if there was no Chase, Carl would be 13 points ahead of Johnson, 82 ahead of Kyle Busch ...

Joe Menzer: And I would still be three baskets ahead of Caraviello.

Duane Cross: Joe, forget to take your medicine this morning? Caraviello holds the deed to your bag o' bones!

David Caraviello: Easy, Menzer, On the basketball court, you're about as reliable as Kyle Busch's car. It's only a matter of time before things start breaking down.

Joe Menzer: I have to admit, at my age and with my battered feet, parts failure is pretty likely. But I can still shoot -- and still talk Smack!

Duane Cross: Umm, before more things start breaking down. He does have that Viagra tattoo on his shoulder ...

Joe Menzer: Could be my new sponsor for the column. (Continued)