Johnson, Edwards done with talking, ready to race (cont'd)

Rounding out the top 10 on speed during the final practice -- behind Hamlin, Biffle, Speed and Johnson -- were Jeff Gordon (163.310 mph), Jamie McMurray (163.157), Brian Vickers (163.098), Reed Sorenson (162.891), Dave Blaney (162.876) and Tony Stewart (162.768).

Edwards insisted that he is not concerned about the sub-par speeds he posted Saturday.

"So much can change," he said. "[Crew chief] Bob Osborne has this ability to make the car a lot better after Saturday's practice sometimes -- for Sunday anyway. So we really probably won't know how good we are until about halfway through the race when the conditions change a little bit. At that point, we'll kind of know what we've got for the long haul."

Truth is, the long haul that is the 36-week Sprint Cup season, including the 10-race Chase, is just about over. And it will take serious and unexpected trouble for the No. 48 Chevrolet team of Johnson for Edwards to even have the slimmest of chances of grabbing the championship.

Johnson knows he is sitting on the precipice of history, as he is ever so close to becoming only the second driver to win three consecutive Cup championships -- Cale Yarborough did it 30 years ago. But he said he is tired of talking about all that and just wants to go racin'.

"It's been a busy week and I'm just really eager to get in the car and get into what I do and what this team is about and what we like to do, which is drive that car and make it fast," Johnson said.

Yarborough will not be at Homestead on Sunday
Yarborough won't be on hand to see Johnson potentially tie his record of three consecutive titles on NASCAR's premier series.

An invitation was extended to Yarborough, who had a conflict with another appearance, according to NASCAR.

Yarborough won titles from 1976-78. Two-time defending champion Johnson has a 141-point lead over Edwards entering Sunday's season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
-- David Caraviello