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CONCORD -- Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya enter tonight's Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway as the top three in points and all with an average finish of 3.5 or better in the first four Chase races. The question is if they can maintain that during the final six races.

"Not with Talladega coming up,'' Greg Biffle says of the Nov. 1 race. "Six more races, there are a lot of opportunities for people to slip up and make small mistakes. To maintain that average finish? It's going to be tough.''

Even with their success, it's easy to think that Johnson, the points leader, will pull away and win his fourth straight championship based on his past Chase performances.

"I don't by any means think it's over,'' Jeff Burton said. "I think there's enough competition all around them. They are certainly, if not the favorite, one of the favorites, but it isn't by no means over.''

PIT CREW CHANGES: Jimmie Johnson's team has had three different rear tire changers in the last few weeks after losing its starter to a back injury. Although Johnson won last weekend at California, he lost positions on some pit stops.

"We're certainly concerned about it,'' Johnson said of the rear tire changer position. "Team chemistry is an important part of what we do.

"We don't want to lose spots on pit road. Last week, I think, on the better stops, we maybe lost two to three spots. So, we need to get over that hump.''

PERSISTENCE: Brad Keselowski, who will join Penske Racing next season, said he turned down an offer from car owner Roger Penske "four or five times'' before accepting the job.

"Every time I did, he came back to me and every time he came back to me, I would sit there and think, "How can I say no to this man, how can I say no to somebody that wants me this bad?'' Keselowski said. "That just tells you how it's going to work in the future.''

BACK AT THE TRACK: Mark McArdle, former director of competition at Richard Petty Motorsports, was at the track Friday for the first time since departing the team at Richmond in September.

McArdle and the team parted after a disagreement between McArdle and car owner George Gillett. McArdle is looking for a position with another team in the sport but has to receive approval from Richard Petty Motorsports. Most contracts feature non-compete clauses and require a team's approval to move to another team.

McArdle would not discuss details of his departure except to say it was time for a change.

"I've always advised those who work under me that if the bus is going somewhere you don't want to go, then maybe you need to get off the bus,'' he said.

PIT STOPS: Pole-sitter Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in Friday's final practice session with a lap of 185.478 mph. He was followed by teammate Mark Martin (184.849 mph), Denny Hamlin (184.685), Robby Gordon (184.237) and Kyle Busch (183.974).

NATIONWIDE: Kyle Busch is feeling better, thanks. The NASCACR star shrugged off walking pneumonia to dominate the Nationwide Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday, picking up his seventh victory of the year to extend his points lead over Carl Edwards with four races remaining.

Mike Bliss was second, followed by Dave Blaney and Brian Vickers. Edwards finished fifth to drop 195 points behind Busch.

Busch led 137 laps, and celebrated his first Nationwide win in nearly three months by doing a couple of burnouts after grabbing the checkered flag.

The win was his 28th career Nationwide victory, but his first since Gateway in mid-July, an eternity for one of NASCAR's top drivers. It was his fifth career win at LMS.

"This is my house, at least on the Nationwide side," Busch said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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