NEXTEL CUP TITLE JOHNSON'S FOR THE TAKING.Byline: TIM TIM Timothy TIM Technical Interchange Meeting TIM Transient Intermodulation Distortion TIM Time Is Money TIM The Invisible Man (movie) TIM Telecom Italia Mobile (Italian cellular provider) HADDOCK Staff Writer After winning the NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Nextel Cup The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCAR's top racing series. It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949), Grand National Series (1950-1971), and the Winston Cup Series (1972-2003). Series race at Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix International Raceway, or just PIR, is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It opened in 1964, as the new home of major open-wheel racing in the Phoenix area, replacing the track at the Arizona State Fairgrounds as an automobile racing venue. on Sunday, Kevin Harvick For the racing team owned by Kevin Harvick and his wife Delana, see . Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975 in Bakersfield, California) is an American race car driver and car owner, competing in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving was asked if Jimmie Johnson's team has the look of a winner. Johnson finished second in the race, his third straight runner-up finish Noun 1. runner-up finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) second-place finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the , and leads the Chase for the Championship, holding a 63-point edge over Matt Kenseth with onerace to go, Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Harvick plainly said Johnson's team hasn't won anything yet. ``Obviously they have had a great year, and like all of us they have had slumps that they got through and come out of,'' said Harvick, who is third in points, tied with Denny Hamlin, 90 behind Johnson. ``They came out of the last slump swinging, so they've done a really good job all year of making their stuff better.'' Harvick has already won the NASCAR Busch Series championship. If he can catch and pass Johnson in the Chase standings, Harvick would become the first NASCAR driver to win the Busch and Cup championship in the same year. After leading the Cup standings for most of the year, Johnson hit a snag just before the Chase started. He lost his lead when the Chase started nine races ago at New Hampshire International Speedway New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058 mile (1703 m) oval track which has hosted NASCAR racing since the 1990s. It is commonly referred to by its location, Loudon. . But he has not finished outside the top two in the past four races, and has retaken the Chase lead. ``You know, we all try to make our stuff better,'' Harvick said. ``But they were down pretty good there for five or six weeks, and they came out like gangbusters, so they have done a good job.'' The magic number for Johnson is 12. If he finishes 12th or better in the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he can win his first Nextel Cup championship, no matter where the other Chase drivers end up in the race. Five drivers are still mathematically in contention for the championship: Johnson, Kenseth, Harvick, Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is 115points out of first. Johnson can also win the championship by finishing 13th or better in the Miami race if he leads at least one lap. He can finish as far back as 15th, lead the most laps and win the championship. In the event Kenseth wins the race and he and Johnson tie for the lead in points, they would also be tied for most wins, the firsttiebreaker to determine the championship. The second tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie is second-place finishes. Johnson has the edge with six runner-up finishes to three for Kenseth. CAPTION(S): box Box: SCHEDULE |
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