NASCAR SPRINT CUP

It was celebration time in Victory Lane as if Jimmie Johnson had just won another championship. However, he did close in on a record tying 3rd title. Trouncing the field at Phoenix International Raceway, he moved inches closer to his record tying third straight NASCAR title Sunday, delivering a knockout punch to Carl Edward's championship hopes.

If he can finish 36th or better next week in the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway , he will join Cale Yarborough (1976-78) as the only drivers in NASCAR history to win three straight titles. Kurt Busch, the 2004 champion who finished second, said Jimmie's doing something pretty special and it is just tough to beat. Actually, impossible.

Hamlin Gets Victory

Denny Hamlin was so nervous on the last few laps of the NASCAR Nextel Cup race, that his right foot was shaking. He believes he needs race wins to be a serious contender for his first Cup championship. So he was out in front, thanks to a late race gamble on a two tire stop. Jeff Gordon, four time series champion was looming close in his mirrors. Hamlin pulled off, beating series points leader to the finish by 0.068 seconds, less than a car length, to earn his third career victory and the first since last July at Pocono.

Labonte's Passion Still Burns for NASCAR

Old NASCAR drivers don't seem to go away either. Either they get deals like Darrell Waltrip or Rusty Wallace or they keep getting back into cars like Bill Elliot and Terry Labonte.Supposedly, LaBonte retired after last fall's race at Texas Motor Speedway. But he returned to competition last week at Infineon Raceway. There he drove Michael Waltrip's No. 55 Toyota to a 35th place finish, two laps behind race winner Juan Pablo Montoya. He also plans to run the No 55 at Watkins Glen, the other road cource on the Nextel Cup circuit on August 12 and he recently did the pre-race testing of Busch Series cars at Montreal.

NASCAR

Juan Montoya may be a rookie but he just got his first cup win. That is quite exciting. He is not known for his patience but he showed plenty of it on Sunday. He used his road racing skills to save his tires, stretch his fuel to the limit and win the Toyota/Save Mart 350 for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup victory.