JOHNSON FINALLY REACHES THE TOP.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK MOTOR SPORTS

Hendrick Motorsports has been referred to as the New York Yankees of NASCAR. Jimmie Johnnson's NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship gives Hendrick Motorsports six titles, the same as Richard Childress Racing, and the most of any owner in NASCAR.

The difference is Childress won his six with one driver, Dale Earnhardt.

Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendick Motorsports, won his six titles with threedrivers: Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon and Johnson.

But Johnson's Cup championship doesn't feel like another Yankees World Series. It feels more like the Cubs finally won one.

Matt Kenseth, Johnson's main rival and only legitimate challenger, said Johnson's team was deserving of winning the Cup this year. Casey Mears echoed those sentiments.

Seems like everyone in the NASCAR garages wanted Johnson and Hendrick to win this one.

After being so close the past four years, Johnson was asked after winning the Cup title at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday if he felt like a burden had been lifted from the team.

He said no.

``People thought and expected a lot out of us as a race team from the beginning.,'' Johnson said. ``We never felt a burden. Don't get me wrong, we didn't want to miss an opportunity when we were in the position to become a champion. We've just been happy to win races and have the season we had.''

It's actually been a while since Hendrick Motorsports has won a Cup title. Roush Racing and JoeGibbs Racing have been on top since Gordon won the Cup in 2001.

Hendrick's team and family has been scarred with tragedy since Gordon's championship in 2001. Hendrick lost his son, Ricky, and several members of his family and team in a plance crash two years ago before the race in Martinsville, Va. Hendrick had his own battle with leukemia 10 years ago.

Then to start this season, Johnson lost his crew chief, Chad Knaus, when he was suspended for altering the team's car in qualifying for the Daytona 500. Knaus missed the first four races of the year, but in a way, it turned out to be a blessing for the team.

Other members of the team were forced to pick up the slack and it made the team stronger. It wasn't exactly in the team's plan to get other people involved, but it created an environment in which Knaus had to delegate some of his responsibilities.

``We hit Daytona. He was suspended. We were like, we really need to live by this theory, we're forced to,'' Johnson said. ``Through that, I think that set the pace for the year. Chad was able to pass on responsibilities to other guys, had some free mental space to focus on the right things.''

After all Hendrick, Knaus and Johnson have been through, winning a Cup championship was more than well-deserved. It was all but warranted.

Hendrick and Johnson haven't had to battle more than a century of adversity and heartbreak like the Cubs. But they have weathered more than a lifetime of tragedy in the past five years. It was nice to see them win one.

Mears, Leffler to race in Turkey Night

NASCAR drivers Casey Mears and Jason Leffler will be part of the 66th running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale Speedway tonight.

This year's version of the Turkey Night Grand Prix, a series of USAC races run regularly on Thanksgiving at various tracks in Southern California, will include Sprint, Midget and Ford Focus Midget races.

Leffler, a two-time winner in Turkey Night Grand Prix races and a driver in the NASCAR Busch Series, will be in the Midget car race. He won the USAC Midget race last year and in 1999.

Mears, a driver in the Nextel Cup Series, will be entered in the USAC Sprint and Midget car races.

``I'm really excited about it,'' Mears said. ``I had a lot of fun in '01 at Irwindale and actually wanted to try this last year but was unable to put it together in time.''

He will be driving a car owned by Bob Rosen in the Midget car race and a car owned by Ted Finkenbinder in the Sprint car race.

``The Sprint car is a new car, although Ted was my car owner when I ran there in 2001, so it'll be nice to renew the acquaintance,'' Mears said. ``It's a great opportunity for me and I hope to make the best of it.''

The last time Mears was in one of Finkenbender's Sprint cars in the Turkey Night Grand Prix was fiveyears ago at Irwindale Speedway. Mears finished fifth.

Tony Hunt, who won the Sprint car race five years ago at Irwindale Speedway, will share driving duties with Mears in the 100-lap Midget car race.

``I started planning earlier this year and fortunately with Tony's help we were able to get it all together,'' Mears said. ``I've never had the opportunity to run a Midget before, so that'll be different. Turkey Night is a big race and it would sure be nice to do well.''

Mears has been driving the No. 42 Dodge Charger for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Nextel Cup Series.

He will be leaving Ganassi for Hendrick Motorsports in 2007 and drive the No. 25 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Mears had two runner-up finishes in the Nextel Cup Series in 2006. He was second in the season-opening Daytona 500 and at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 1. He also won the pole for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where his uncle, Rick Mears, won four Indianapolis 500s.

Mears hasn't raced at Irwindale Speedway in five years, but he said he remembers some of the track's characteristics.

``Irwindale is a good basic oval and the challenge will be to get comfortable in the car,'' Mears said. ``Having run there before, I think the high groove is the place to be so we'll see what happens, but it's going to be fun.''

Gates open at 4 p.m. Races start at 7.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Jimmie Johnson is hugged by his crew after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

(2) CASEY MEARS

Box:

Etc.