Jimmie Johnson hopes for third Championship

Chasing History: Johnson Eyeing Third Consecutive Victory; Series Title

Two-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) isn’t leading the pack as the 2008 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins Sunday at New Hampshire.

He’s third behind top seed Kyle Busch (5,080 points) and second seed Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford), who has 5,050 points.

But Johnson — with 5,040 points — may be the frontrunner in the momentum department.

He’s fresh off two consecutive victories, two weeks ago at Auto Club Speedway and last week at Richmond International Raceway — the cutoff event that set the 12-driver field for the Chase.

And he’s putting both out of his mind.

“I’m trying to show up at next week’s race scared, worried about 11 other guys, and worry about doing my part,” Johnson said. “And the thing is I have confidence in what my abilities are and what my team is capable of and the packages we have put together in the last five or six months — short track, big track, all of it.”

In addition to consecutive series titles, Johnson also has won 11 Chase races since the format’s 2004 debut, more than any other driver. He also owns the best Chase Driver Rating — 106.3.

And while he’s seventh in pre-race Driver Rating for New Hampshire (98.3 compared to category leader Tony Stewart’s 118.6), Johnson has two wins, three top fives and eight top 10s in 13 career starts there.

“With the way the pack is running, especially the 99 (Edwards) and the 18 (Busch), you can’t show up and run at 80 percent and just hope that a top 10 is going to get the job done,” Johnson said. “You have to show up and bring your A Game each week. I feel confident that we are there now and that we can run with these guys.”