Johnson continues to make mockery of Chase system (cont'd)

Bump-and-run thoughts after Atlanta ...

Winner

• Jimmie Johnson now has more than a one-race lead in points; the most any driver can make up in one race is 161 points (156, if he doesn't lead the most laps).

So good for Carl Edwards -- he won the battle but lost the war. On average he'll have to beat Johnson by more than 14 positions at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead to have a snowball's chance at winning the championship.

And no, stranger things have not happened.

Loser

• Any Chaser not named Jimmie Johnson. Imagine how much fun it's going to be for the next month as these drivers put on their Media Face and recite "it's not over." Fact is, this thing has been over since Sept. 28, when Johnson took the points lead after winning at Kansas.

Homestead is the loser in this year's Chase. We can only hope that Johnson has a 162-point lead entering Championship Weekend. How great would it be for Johnson to take the green flag, turn hard into the infield grass and begin his victory celebration 266 laps before the checkered flag?

Lucky Dog

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. is six points ahead of 11th-place Denny Hamlin for the all-important final seat on the main stage at the year-end awards banquet in New York. Hey, if a week of sightseeing in the Big Apple isn't enough to make you want to dig a little harder for one more position on the track, what is?

At least the top 10 can get some Christmas shopping out of the way; probably won't be as recognized at FAO Schwarz as they might be at Concord Mills ...

Who's hot

• Casey Mears just missed a top-10 finish at Atlanta, and his 12th-place run was his fifth top-15 showing in seven Chase races. This shouldn't be a surprise; Mears did well during the final 10 races last year.

However, taken as a whole, Mears' 2008 season will be easy to forget. In his sixth season, Mears' numbers more closely resemble his rookie year rather than a guy who should be entering his prime -- especially considering he drives for Hendrick Motorsports. Well, maybe through Phoenix ...

Mears will drive the No. 07 for Richard Childress Racing next year and may get a head start, driving a fourth RCR car at Homestead while Mark Martin takes over the No. 5 for Hendrick.

Who's not

• During a Chase wrought with woulda, coulda, shoulda, Kyle Busch remains mired in 12th place despite a fifth-place finish at Atlanta. Four times in seven playoff races he has finished off the lead lap. That happened only four times in the first 26 races. (Continued)