Johnson's domination shows readiness for Chase (cont'd)

And finally, on Lap 219, Biffle again nosed Johnson off pit road for the lead with Johnson second. The race restarted on Lap 222. By the time they came back around, Johnson was leading.

His car was so dominant, Biffle's crew chief, Greg Erwin, went to the No. 48 pit box to ask Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, if his driver would drop back to help Biffle remove a piece of debris from the nose of his Ford.

“

As soon as we leave Richmond, you're going to be smiling that the first 26 are over and you're locked in and everything is great, and then you'll wake up Monday morning and go, 'Oh my God, the Chase is here. Here we go.'

”

JIMMIE JOHNSON

Knaus' answer: No. "Why the hell would I do that?" Knaus said.

Johnson's dominance wasn't about his car being so much better than others at one particular race. Rather, it was a reminder that the team that thrives on winning when it counts could be perfecting its strut just in time for the big stage once again.

Of Johnson's 10 victories last year, four of them came in the 10-race Chase. He won just one race during his 2006 Chase, but that came in a five-race stretch when Johnson finished second the other four times. Both seasons ended in championships. Since the Chase was instituted in 2004, Johnson has won 11 of the 40 Chase races.

So while Busch and Edwards grab headlines for both on- and off-track items, including their combined 14 race wins, Johnson idles along.

"Looking forward to this Chase and where those guys are at, they've been out there winning races. They deserve all the props," Johnson said of Busch and Edwards. "We've got three now, so we're halfway to Carl. They've set the world on fire -- they've dominated between the two of them. I recognize that. I want to be like that myself."

Sunday was a big step. Five of the 10 Chase races are at intermediate tracks, places where Johnson admitted he has struggled this season. He reiterated that after the race. Of course, then he spoke of how this was the most dominant car he's ever had.

"You try to find lessons in any situation," Johnson said. "We went out there with a lot to lose and put our guys under a different form of pressure than what they've felt in a while. I think [Sunday] was good for our guys to feel that pressure. It's been a while since I've been in a situation to blow it and thrown it away."

Even so, he's still not facing those circumstances in the championship picture; he moved up one spot to third behind Busch and Edwards. And that may play into his advantage as he tries for his third consecutive title.

"It's a huge motivating factor for me, and I know for the team as well," he said. "I haven't thought about it much because I've been so focused on getting prepared for the Chase, and once we get into the Chase we have what we have. As soon as we leave Richmond, you're going to be smiling that the first 26 are over and you're locked in and everything is great, and then you'll wake up Monday morning and go, 'Oh my God, the Chase is here. Here we go.' That pressure, you're not going to be able to hide from it."

It doesn't appear that the No. 48 team plans to hide.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Also: Johnson finds Chase form with convincing victory