No. 1 - Jimmie Johnson

Just because Jimmie Johnson has won three races in a row and is in the lead in the NASCAR Chase for the Nextel Cup standings, it is no time to relax. Sure it took a lot of hard work to pass Jeff Gordon for the lead, but Johnson said one race can change everything.
“We have momentum going our direction right now but it's only 30 points and if you look at the last two weeks, I've been able to make up roughly 60 points," said Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "Jeff hasn't had bad races the last two events. He's had strong he finishes. So it's not like he's had bad nights. I can finish 10th, he can win, and I'm back in second."
Johnson sounds like he is approaching the last two races of the year realistically. Winning three races in a row is a rare feat, especially in this era of NASCAR Cup racing, but it might not be enough to secure a Cup championship.
Johnson will have a fairly new and winning race car at Phoenix International Raceway for this weekend's race. The car his team is bringing to Phoenix is the same car that won the race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 21. It was the first of his three straight wins in the Chase.
Further, it was a car that dominated the Martinsville race, leading 147 laps. In his wins at Atlanta and Texas, Johnson led a total of 17 laps.
Phoenix will be a crucial race in deciding the Cup championship. Johnson can secure it with a strong finish. Gordon can close the gap and make the season finale at Homestead-Miami very interesting.
"So we have a lot of work ahead of us and are happy to be in a position to race for the championship," Johnson said. "With good race tracks coming up for us, good race cars in the lineup and momentum from the victories, and our guys are showing up hungry every week, we’re trying to get as many points as we can.”