Johnson's bid for history has quickly slipped away

AVONDALE, Ariz. - From the start, Jimmie Johnson said a rookie had no business winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship.

While he was poised to be the first rookie to achieve that feat for most of the way, it's still difficult for him to admit his chances are gone after a pair of disappointing finishes the past two weeks.

"We can't control our own destiny by any means," Johnson said while preparing for Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway (2:30 p.m., NBC-Ch. 8). "So that, I believe, means we don't really have a shot at it."

Three weeks ago, Johnson was second in the standings, just 82 points behind Tony Stewart. A 22nd-place finish at Atlanta, followed by a 37th-place effort at Rockingham, N.C., dropped him to third, 219 points behind.

Stewart can clinch his first championship by finishing no worse than 11th in the final two races. That leaves Johnson thinking more about protecting his third-place position from another rookie, Ryan Newman, who is only six points behind.

"Tony has a free week on us right now," Johnson said. "On top of that, we would still have to have a real good day and he would have to not have such a good day for us to catch him in points. I just don't see that happening with the strength of that team. But crazy things happen. I don't think the chances are very good."

Johnson has said all year rookies weren't supposed to have enough experience to challenge for the championship. He's maintained a level of naivete throughout, and three victories and a constant position among the series leaders has done little to change his wide-eyed approach.

"You want to win championships and want to be part of it," Johnson said. "It's something we never thought we'd be a part of in our first season."

Johnson already has tied Stewart's rookie record of three victories. He can also tie Stewart's rookie record by finishing third in the standings.

Johnson, 27, isn't the only one awestruck by his success. Car owners Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon are just as surprised.

"We just knew (Johnson) was a young guy with a lot of talent," Hendrick said. "When you see (talented rookies), you just try to take advantage of it. I never dreamed we'd do this well this quick."

Now that the championship is virtually out of reach, Johnson said he will concentrate on the final two races.

"I know that what we've done is incredible and I'm looking forward to the off-season to reflect back on it and let everything slow down and let it soak in," he said. "It's time for Phoenix and to get all that we can and fight for third (place)."

Johnson's learned a lot during his first season on the senior circuit. He's learned the importance of team chemistry and that everything must be perfect on race day to win. More than anything else, he's learned to cope with a season that essentially lasts 11 months. Teams start testing in January, races begin in February and the season doesn't end until next Sunday.

"The length of the season (has been the greatest challenge)," Johnson said. "The time you spend in the car isn't the thing that wears you down the most. It's the travel and the obligations out of the race car for the 38 weeks of the season. The schedule and all that stuff that goes into it, that's the hard thing."

Reach Don Coble at doncoble@bellsouth.net