Johnson, Knaus show Indy that championship magic

• Video: Johnson talks about winning at the Brickyard

INDIANAPOLIS -- With only one victory in the fold for two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson and only two on the whole for his Hendrick Motorsports operation this season, Rick Hendrick decided to bring in a motivational speaker at the shop last week.

Enter Jerry Moore, head football coach of three-time defending small-college national champion Appalachian State, architect of the slaying of Michigan in one of that sport's all-time greatest upsets just last season. Moore insisted how "it's all about desire and dedication, who wants it more," according to Hendrick.

Then Hendrick pulled a little surprise on Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief.

"I called Chad out in front of Coach Moore. I said, 'Chad are you going to win this championship for us like Appalachian?'" Hendrick said.

Knaus stepped forward and gave his response, pledging, "I'm going to do my best."

Moore was not impressed. He looked at Knaus and said, "That might not be good enough."

Knaus knew how to give a ribbing as well as receive one. He looked Moore in the eye and issued a warning of his own.

"You better be glad I'm not coaching football in that league of yours," he said.

Champion driver

Moore would have been proud of the way Knaus and Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet team handled ample adversity Sunday during the caution-filled Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. With NASCAR-mandated competition cautions coming every 10 laps as Goodyear tires blew apart with alarming violence and frequency, Johnson laid back when he could and cautiously led the way when he figured he had no other choice.

In short, Johnson drove like a champion. That hasn't always been the case this season.

Earlier in the year, it seemed Johnson's entire team was uncharacteristically missing the mark more often than not as he struggled to mirror the stunning success of last season -- when he won a series-high 10 Sprint Cup races. But once the team seemed to start getting its act together, Johnson uncharacteristically made some costly driving mistakes of his own. (Continued)