HOMESTEAD, Fla.—NASCAR chairman Brian France wants Jimmie Johnson to be commended for his four-year run atop NASCAR and not used as an example of why the championship format might be flawed. Johnson heads into tomorrow’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway poised to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive titles, all under the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format implemented in 2004. His dominance has made it easy for Chase critics to blast the system, which France called unfair.

As Jimmie Johnson gets ready to slam the door on the other title contenders, Chris and George ask: does the Chase need more than 10 drivers?

AVONDALE, Ariz. Brad Keselowski’s crew chief was headed to the prerace driver meeting when Juan Pablo Montoya cut him off at the door. “The next two weeks, you better bring your worst cars,“ Montoya told Roy McCauley. “Why’s that?“ McCauley asked. “Because they are going to get wrecked,“ Montoya warned. “Somebody is going to wreck him, if Denny Hamlin doesn’t do it first.“

When a fluke accident cost Jimmie Johnson a huge chunk of his points lead, he knew there was no more room for error in his bid to win a NASCAR record fourth consecutive championship. But when it came time to plot a strategy for Phoenix International Raceway, playing it safe was never an option. Johnson cruised to a dominating victory yesterday that moved him to the edge of history, winning the fourth race of this Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in what his rivals considered a “statement” showing.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR yesterday docked Kyle Busch 25 Nationwide points and fined crew chief Jason Ratcliff $5,000 after Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed inspection before last week’s race at Texas. NASCAR also placed Ratcliff on probation through the end of the year for actions detrimental to stock car racing, using improper equipment and use of an improperly attached weight.

FORT WORTH, Texas Jeff Gordon was on the verge of winning his fourth NASCAR championship as a driver when he made his debut as a co-owner and teammate for an unproven driver named Jimmie Johnson. The two drivers have become friends in the eight years since Johnson joined Hendrick Motorsports, with Gordon spending many hours explaining the finer points of stock car racing and offering plenty of advice to his eager pupil.

Is Jimmie Johnson in for another rude awakening this weekend in Phoenix? Chris and George debate.

Jimmie Johnson’s drive to history took a hard hit against the wall and Kyle Busch ran out of gas trying to complete an unprecedented NASCAR trifecta. Kurt Busch won at Texas Motor Speedway yesterday, taking over the lead with 2½ laps left when his younger brother’s car suddenly slowed on the backstretch after leading 232 of the 334 laps.

After suffering a dreadful race at Talladega, Chris and George debate which racing movie is the best of all time. Plus, a preview of Texas Motor Speedway.

TALLADEGA, Ala.—Jamie McMurray was the unlikely winner of an uncharacteristically dull race at Talladega Superspeedway, where a ban on bump-drafting forced most competitors to treat the event as a slow Sunday drive. The day started with a stern warning from NASCAR President Mike Helton against the aggressive driving that has turned Talladega into the most exciting track on the circuit. What followed was an anesthetized first 450 miles, with long periods of single-file traffic and no driver willing to defy NASCAR’s order not to bump through the corners.

Chris and George debate how to improve racing at Talladega. Also, Tony Stewart is George’s pick to win this weekend, but Chris likes Dale Jr.‘s chances better.

Denny Hamlin passes Jimmie Johnson, ending the three-time defending series champion’s run of five trips to victory lane in the previous six races at the shortest circuit in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

1. Jimmie Johnson6,098 2. Mark Martin-118
3. Jeff Gordon-150
4. Tony Stewart-192
5. Juan Montoya-200
6. Kurt Busch-240
7. Ryan Newman-312
8. Greg Biffle-350
9. Denny Hamlin-352
10. Carl Edwards-413
11. Kasey Kahne-439
12. Brian Vickers-530
13. Kyle Busch-2,178
14. Matt Kenseth-2,203

Juan Pablo Montoya had had it with Jeff Gordon, and when he felt Gordon began crowding him in the turns yesterday at Martinsville Speedway, he got physical. And he made no apologies afterward. “It’s just every time we’ve been around racing against him, he runs the hell out of me,“ Montoya said. “He moved me out of the way before, and he was starting to do the same here today. I was running the outside of him, and every time he was just getting wider and wider.“

MARTINSVILLE - Ryan Newman edged Jeff Gordon in qualifying for tomorrow’s Tums Fast Relief 500, turning a lap of 96.795 mph yesterday to secure the pole position as the second half of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup gets under way. “It’s the place to be, no doubt, and it’s the place to finish,“ said Newman, who is eighth in the championship points standings through the first five Chase races. “Obviously, that’s what we want.“