Johnson solidifies Trifecta in Phoenix

Carl Edwards had all the momentum he needed to unseat two-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson after winning two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway.

Not so fast, Johnson said, as the driver from El Cajon, Calif., scored the pole, led the most laps and won convincingly Sunday evening at Phoenix International Raceway. In doing so, Johnson squashed nearly any chance Edwards had at an upset title shot.

By the numbers, Edwards fell from a 106-point deficit to a 141-point deficit – meaning Johnson only has to finish 39th or better Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch the season points championship. It’s been nearly six months since Johnson has finished so poorly.

In other words, Edwards’ primary goal Sunday will be to stay as the guy who gets to talk just before Johnson accepts his big check and trophy at the awards banquet in December.

Johnson’s run to a third-straight title – something not done since Cale Yarborough in 1970s – has been nothing short of impeccable. During the 29 races that have determined his two previous titles and his soon-to-be third, Johnson has won eight and failed to finish just one.

ABC drops Phoenix race finish, irritates NASCAR

With 34 laps to go in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race in Phoenix, ABC switched the race broadcast to ESPN2 in the Central and Eastern time zones thanks to a scheduling conflict on the national network.

No, it wasn’t “World News with Charles Gibson” or a season-premiere of “Desperate Housewives” that prompted the change, but rather an episode of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” trumped NASCAR’s second to last race of the season.

Race-winner Johnson was confused about the switch after the race. Race fans without cable were left in the dark on the important late-race happenings and, on Tuesday, NASCAR’s CEO Brian France was less than pleased during a teleconference.

“We didn’t like it, that was not what we had anticipated, but we have talked to them repeatedly in the last couple days,” France said to the media. “There were lots of circumstances that we have to consider. They have their own issues they had to manage around. Unfortunately we got the short end of that.”
 
Dropping the Flag: Homestead
 
Race Ford 400
When 3:45 p.m. Sunday (TV coverage 3 p.m.)
TV/Radio ABC/105.1 FM
Location Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Distance 267 laps/400.5 miles
Track Layout 1.5-mile oval
2007 Winner Matt Kenseth

Miller’s Preview

Jimmie Johnson is in the envious position of virtually only having to show up and start Sunday’s race at the south Florida track, so I have a feeling the No. 48 isn’t going to be looking for a dominating run. Instead, I see Johnson taking a top-15 finish before his tire-smoking burnout to celebrate his third-straight title. Knowing that, look for Johnson’s teammate Jeff Gordon to snap his 2008 winless streak (if he doesn’t win, it’ll be his first zero win season since 1993) and cut down the list of active tracks where he has never won.

Miller’s Pick: Jeff Gordon