Johnson in driver's seat after Talladega 'survival' (cont'd)

Crew chief Chad Knaus felt the pressure, as well, but showing the resolve that has resulted in back-to-back titles, kept the team and driver focused.

"Obviously, it was a very stressful day," Knaus said. "The car just didn't run the way it did [earlier in the weekend]. Ever since we went through tech and got the restrictor plate, the shocks and the springs, it just never ran the same as it did on Friday.

"We had to struggle. It was a day of survival. But Jimmie did a great job of missing all the wrecks and the pit crew did a great job of making adjustments on the car. We didn't create any more problems than what we'd already had. Heck, I think we made up points on just about everybody, so that was a day well done."

Johnson had an opportunity to put even more ground between himself and the Chase contenders, but when the car wouldn't respond on the final restart, he decided to take what he could get.

"I couldn't even accelerate and hang on to the cars in front of me," Johnson said. "So I was kind of in no-man's land and they came thundering by and the next thing you know, I'm the last car in that lead draft. And I was hanging on just to stay there, too. I don't know why the car wouldn't suck up and go.

"I felt comfortable being aggressive in the end with such a small group of guys. I had a feeling to stay single file and maybe if we get an outside lane going, I could get a top-five or something out of it. But it just didn't accelerate on that restart. I couldn't go anywhere."

Johnson's good fortune, combined with a bad drafting decision by Edwards that wrecked three Roush cars (watch video), leaves him 72 points ahead of Edwards and 77 in front of Biffle. But don't think for a moment that Johnson is already getting fitted for the winner's tuxedo.

"We just keep racing. And we race smart and we do what we can," Johnson said. "I've realized in the past that the whole sport falls into a comfort zone and thinks that 60, 80, or 100 points is a big gap. But truly, that can go away in a hurry.

"So I'm happy that it is what it is, but I know there is a lot of racing ahead of us. If I had a [72-point] lead going into Homestead, I'd feel a lot better. But with six to go, there's plenty of racing left."