Much more to Homestead than Johnson coronation

Given this is a NASCAR-centric column, you would expect to read about stock-car racing. Instead, let's interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to talk about toddlers hitting their dads in the gonads. Maybe discuss the stupidity of trying to use your roof for a launching pad while trying to improve your X-Games skills. How about the hilarity of Bubba chainsawing a tree -- and watching it fall on his car!

But I digress. ... Sunday's race at Homestead will be more than a 267-lap countdown to crowning Jimmie Johnson as a three-time Cup Series champion. That became a foregone conclusion at Kansas (and you read it here first).

Oh look; that's sooooo cute -- a cat sleeping on top of a dog ...

But hopefully the Eastern and Central time zones will get the memo: Between commercials for America's Funniest Home Videos and Monday Night Football, ESPN on ABC will, albeit briefly, touch on the race for the top 35 in owner points.

With the top 35 cars locked into the starting lineup for the first five races in 2009, including the Daytona 500, Sunday is paramount. Given the convoluted qualifying process of the Daytona 500, securing a top-35 position after Homestead will make for a less eventful offseason.

Starting positions for the Daytona 500:

• The highest-ranked 35 positions from the previous year's Cup Series car owner point standings from each qualifier;

• The two front-row qualifiers;

• The two-highest finishing cars in each qualifier (Duel 150s) not among that highest-ranked 35 group;

• The balance of the 43-car field will be filled by the fastest remaining qualifiers who have not earned a starting position, with the exception of the 43rd position which will be assigned to an eligible former or current Cup Series champion. (Should there not be an eligible champion, the position will be assigned to the next fastest qualifier not in the field.)

Did you see that?! The groom just passed out INTO THE CAKE!

Bill Davis Racing's No. 22 needs sponsorship. Ditto the No. 41 for Chip Ganassi. The No. 66 will be Stewart-Haas Racing's entry for Ryan Newman (Tony Stewart has the past champion's provisional). You've gotta think those three cars are in good shape to hold serve.

Here's where it starts getting dicey: Robby Gordon desperately needs to hang on. Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 47 (formerly the No. 00) is on the bubble. And contrary to reports, Mark Martin will be on the couch Sunday afternoon; Scott Speed will drive Red Bull Racing's No. 84. (Update: Brian Vickers will drive the No. 84 at Homestead; Speed moves into the No. 83, which already is securely in the top 35.)

So while Tom Bergeron eagerly awaits his cue, pay attention to the race within the race. There are several drivers who are hoping to pay dividends for 2009.

And now we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming. For those of you in the Mountain and Pacific time zones, click for Page 2. The schmucks in the Eastern and Central time zones will join Heidi, already in progress ...

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