news-record.com

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Rick Hendrick has a bad feeling. Actually, it's just not as good a feeling as he often has.

And this was after his driver, Jimmie Johnson, won Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third time in four years, beating another Hendrick driver, Mark Martin, and third-place finisher, Tony Stewart, who drives equipment provided by Hendrick Motorsports.

"I never get comfortable," Hendrick says.

That's why Hendrick Motorsports is NASCAR's premier organization. Look around: No one is close to Hendrick Motorsports — not counting Stewart-Haas Racing, which gets chassis, engines and technical support from the same group working on the cars of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Johnson and Martin.

Joe Gibbs Racing was looked upon as the top team behind Hendrick/Stewart combo, but Kyle Busch's recent woes and a tough weekend for the organization in general leaves questions. Roush Fenway Racing just seems to be behind the Hendrick armada at many tracks. Richard Childress Racing, which had three cars in the Chase last year, doesn't have one in the top 12 and questions persist if Kevin Harvick will remain there after this season.

With those teams not as strong, others climb the ladder. Brian Vickers has three consecutive top-fives for Red Bull, although he's awaiting a new contract to sign that the team has been slow to provide.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing is showing life with Juan Pablo Montoya, but the questions to car owner Chip Ganassi on Friday were about if he will be able to field a second car next year with Martin Truex Jr. leaving, about sponsorship and about Danica Patrick.

Kurt Busch leads Penske Racing, but recent incidents with Johnson have cost him in races. And there's Kasey Kahne, who has returned Richard Petty to Victory lane this season, but just what type of cars that team will use next year, and how many it field, provide fodder for talk.

History shows that many of those teams won't be able to challenge Hendrick for the title. Seven of the last 11 Indianapolis winners went on to win the title that season. Two of the last three years, the top two finishers also placed first and second in the points. Johnson says that the track shows which teams are the best.

"This track is so difficult" he said. "I think that's why guys that have won this race have won the championship because that team that given year is on top of what's going on."

It's no surprise Johnson won again at this track. He and crew chief Chad Knaus are the sport's best combination. They're at their best when their car isn't.

They struggled this weekend getting the car where they wanted it. Knaus even joked to Hendrick about not expecting Johnson to finish in the top 10.

"I enjoy it when he tells me that," Hendrick said.

He knows if Knaus feels that way, he won't rest until he's found a way to make Johnson's car faster.

Knaus gave Johnson the car he needed late — after Juan Pablo Montoya's speeding penalty in the pits cost him a shot at winning. Johnson fired past Martin on the outside, a move not often seen at Indy, to take the lead for good 24 laps from the finish.

Then it was just a matter of waiting for Johnson to cross the finish line first.

That's how this season is starting to feel.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com