AVONDALE, Ariz. — Just one week after having his worst race in The Chase, Jimmie Johnson delivered a powerful statement by winning Sunday’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix Int’l Raceway.
Johnson dominated the 312-lap contest, leading four times for 238 laps and driving off into the sunset to win his seventh race of the season, the 47th of his career. He defeated Jeff Burton by 1.033 seconds.
But most importantly, Johnson regained firm control of his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, taking a 108-point lead over Mark Martin into next Sunday’s season-finale — the Ford 400 — at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Johnson needs to finish 25th or better to clinch the championship, which would be a NASCAR record fourth straight.
“In the end it could be looked at that way,” Johnson said after winning a race that was essentially “no contest.” “I could say from living it, it wasn't necessarily a statement, it was, ‘Hey guys, we need to step up today and get it done.’”
And get it done they did as Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and the No. 48 team at Hendrick Motorsports were easily the class of the field.
Denny Hamlin finished third followed by Martin with pole-winner Martin Truex, Jr. rounding out the top five. Jeff Gordon finished ninth but at 169 points out, he is all but mathematically eliminated from the championship.