Johnson's foes lurking, they need a repeat of TMS

The sight of Jimmie Johnson's smashed and steaming car sitting near the inside wall at Texas Motor Speedway last Sunday should have been raw meat to the eyes of the dwindling few who still have shots at winning this year's Chase.

It should have plucked their predatory gene and caused them to jump like wild boars on Bambi. But about all that Johnson's rare moment of misfortune did was leave the three or four Chase drivers closest behind him hoping that it happens again. Preferably twice in the next two races.

• Sprint Cup Series tickets
• Nationwide Series tickets
• Truck Series tickets
• Book your travel

When, after the Texas race, Mark Martin said, "There's two races left, you never know what's going to happen", he undoubtedly meant just that: Johnson needs to run into trouble and preferably in this weekend's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC), to keep the door open for others.

Good luck with the bad-luck thing at PIR for Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart -- the four guys who are within 200 points of Johnson -- because on paper, the desert mile is a Jimmie Zone.

Said Johnson this week, "I would say that looking at the schedule, the best track remaining for us would be PIR."

Ouch.

Johnson's numbers there have to be viewed as disheartening for those who think the scene of Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus sitting at the lead table at the postseason banquet is getting old.

Johnson has three victories at Phoenix. That is not only best among the 12 Chase drivers, it is best among all active drivers. Heck, it's best among all drivers period at the track, which began hosting Cup races in 1988.

The numbers only get more grim from there for the Chasers: Johnson's average finish is 5.4 in his 12 starts, and his 506 laps led is third best among active drivers.

Here is the worst of the horrible news for the anti-Johnson and pro-exciting-conclusion-to-the-Chase folks: The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy has been running at the end of every race at Phoenix.

That's right, no DNFs. (Continued)