TALLADEGA, Ala. -- In 1967, Billy Shears -- OK, it was really Beatles drummer Ringo Starr -- sang, "I get by with a little help from my friends." Talladega Superspeedway opened two years later, and almost ever since, drafting help has been key to running up front here.

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Not only [my] teammates, but we have a lot of good Toyota teammates as well. That's important for us to have the cooperation of everyone. This is a big position for Toyota.

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-- DENNY HAMLIN

It's even more critical for Chase contenders Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick to get a little help from their friends in Sunday's Amp Energy Juice 500. Not only does that include teammates, but possible manufacturer support.

Johnson said having Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin in the field can create a lot of confidence for a driver looking for a familiar face near the end of the race.

"Your teammates can help you on a restrictor-plate track probably more so than anywhere else," Johnson said. "The way that the bump drafting works now, if you can just have one of your teammates push you at the end of the race -- be in the right position to push you -- that can really be helpful."

But Johnson said that's sometimes easier said than done.

"It is so difficult to find each other and get linked up at the end of the race, so I don't think you can really strategize on how you get together," Johnson said. "You just look for one another. I'm hopeful that my teammates will keep an eye out for me and if I need to get into a slot, will cut me some slack."

And with the championship battle as close as it is, Johnson hoped if push comes to shove, he'll be the one chosen as a drafting partner.

"At the end of the race, if they have a decision to push two or three different cars, that they would pick pushing me and help us out," Johnson said. "I also think that it is important during the race -- to make sure that you have other friends on the track just to increase your odds of someone pushing you given the opportunity comes along.

"I feel good with my three teammates and hopefully the Stewart-Haas cars as well. I will just try to build more relationships on the track during the first 400 miles."

Not only is Hamlin trying to snap Johnson's streak of consecutive championships at four, he's also trying to win the first one for Toyota in NASCAR's premier series. And with that in mind, Hamlin expects a helping hand late Sunday afternoon, not only from Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, but from other Toyota teams. (Continued)