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HOMESTEAD, Fla. — His adrenaline fading, the weight of what Jimmie Johnson invested to win a record-breaking fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship showed.

After a brief celebration with his wife, crew chief and crew and a series of interviews, Johnson headed back to the start/finish line for more pictures, more cheers and more memories.

On the way he grabbed an acquaintance on the shoulder and looked at his father. Johnson let out a heavy sigh and continued walking. The toll of a year-long quest was over. He and crew chief Chad Knaus made history.

Richard Petty didn't win four Cup crowns in a row. Dale Earnhardt didn't do it. Cale Yarborough didn't do it.

Jimmie Johnson did it Sunday. His fifth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway gave him the title. It also saddled teammate Mark Martin with his fifth runner-up finish for the championship in a race Denny Hamlin won.

"I can't believe we made history," Johnson said after he had done so.

That his fourth title comes in his eighth season leads to questions about how much more he can accomplish.

"I'd love to win more championships and more races than anybody has done," said the 34-year-old Johnson. "I'm not sure how realistic that is."

More wins and titles are possible with how Knaus has kept the team's core together for all these championships. Johnson and Knaus are given a lot of credit, but insiders say that much of their dominance is a result of keeping many of the crew members on the team for all the titles.

While Johnson and Knaus relished what the team accomplished, they couldn't ignore the future.

"I just got the gut-wrenching feeling," Knaus said, "that the 2010 season is coming soon."

* * *

After a week of hype, the moment to start engines arrived Sunday. There was little to do but focus on 400 miles to history.

"Let's go out and enjoy the day today, boys," Knaus radioed the crew before the race. "It will be one of the best days of your life."

Johnson shot to the lead when the green flag waved. His mood changed as the race progressed. He yelled on the radio about how some drivers, including Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer, raced him. Although Johnson entered with a 108-point lead, a crash could still end his title hopes.

"I definitely was revved up tonight," said Johnson, who rarely cusses on the radio but did so this time. Johnson's biggest worry came on lap 117 when Knaus had him pit during a caution. Many of the leaders didn't. Johnson fell from seventh to 23rd, back where he could get collected in somebody else's accident.

"I expected a lot more to pit there," Knaus radioed Johnson. "I'm sorry bud."

"It is what it is," Johnson said and then moved up through the field when the race resumed.

Johnson ran laps nearly as fast as the leaders. He was back in the top five with 75 laps left. Slow pit stops cost him positions, but he was still safe enough that the championship would be his.

Johnson wanted more.

Twelve laps from the finish, Johnson radioed Knaus if he could catch the leaders. Knaus said no. "Is that a dare?" Johnson radioed.

"No, that is not a dare," Knaus said. "That is a fact."

Maybe next time.

The reward for Knaus came at the end of the race when he pulled out his flip phone and videotaped his team celebrating the championship on pit road as Johnson drove by.

"I knew this was going to be a big deal," Knaus said. "I wanted to have something to remember it by."

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

NASCAR Sprint Cup-Ford 400 Results
By The Associated Press

Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Lap length: 1.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses); Chase drivers in bold

1. (38) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 267 laps, 195 points, $347,975.
2. (26) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 267, 175, $273,631.
3. (6) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 267, 170, $228,128.
4. (12) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 267, 165, $157,275.
5. (1) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 267, 160, $189,401.
6. (20) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 267, 150, $141,251.
7. (24) Carl Edwards, Ford, 267, 146, $144,981.
8. (30) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267, 147, $130,623.
9. (14) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 267, 138, $116,465.
10. (13) AJ Allmendinger, Ford, 267, 134, $79,400.
11. (10) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 267, 135, $82,975.
12. (4) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 267, 127, $82,475.
13. (34) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 267, 124, $118,015.
14. (8) Greg Biffle, Ford, 267, 121, $90,025.
15. (22) David Reutimann, Toyota, 267, 118, $101,573.
16. (9) Bill Elliott, Ford, 267, 115, $69,800.
17. (25) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 267, 112, $111,698.
18. (11) Jamie McMurray, Ford, 267, 109, $81,400.
19. (15) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 267, 106, $86,850.
20. (33) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 267, 103, $100,748.
21. (29) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 267, 100, $90,860.
22. (5) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 267, 102, $90,098.
23. (7) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 267, 94, $100,054.
24. (35) Joey Logano, Toyota, 267, 91, $116,626.
25. (27) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 267, 88, $103,440.
26. (36) Paul Menard, Ford, 267, 85, $101,031.
27. (2) Scott Speed, Toyota, 267, 82, $84,898.
28. (32) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267, 79, $85,425.
29. (17) David Gilliland, Toyota, 267, 76, $66,725.
30. (39) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 266, 78, $78,100.
31. (19) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 266, 70, $69,300.
32. (16) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 266, 67, $69,075.
33. (40) John Andretti, Chevrolet, 266, 64, $78,325.
34. (41) David Ragan, Ford, 266, 61, $73,675.
35. (3) Marcos Ambrose, Toyota, 251, 63, $77,548.
36. (31) Erik Darnell, Ford, 247, 55, $92,879.
37. (28) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 243, 52, $65,050.
38. (23) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 235, 49, $99,423.
39. (37) Robby Gordon, Toyota, 227, 46, $83,410.
40. (42) Reed Sorenson, Dodge, accident, 116, 43, $101,776.
41. (21) Elliott Sadler, Dodge, accident, 116, 40, $72,215.
42. (43) Terry Labonte, Toyota, electrical, 88, 37, $63,915.
43. (18) Michael McDowell, Toyota, overheating, 35,34, $64,229.

Average speed of race winner: 126.986 mph.
Time of race: 3 hours, 6 minutes, 18 seconds.
Margin of victory: 2.632 seconds.
Caution flags: 7 for 31 laps.
Lead changes: 18 among 10 drivers.

Lap leaders: J.Johnson 1-9; M.Ambrose 10-13; J.Johnson 14-32; T.Stewart 33-52; Ku.Busch 53-54; C.Bowyer 55; K.Harvick 56-62; T.Stewart 63-85; K.Harvick 86-134; Ku.Busch 135-157; D.Hamlin 158-180; Ku.Busch 181-195; D.Hamlin 196-198; J.Burton 199-217; Ku.Busch 218; M.Waltrip 219; Ku.Busch 220-221; Ky.Busch 222; D.Hamlin 223-267.

Leaders summary (driver, times led, laps led): D.Hamlin, 3 times for 71 laps; K.Harvick, 2 times for 56 laps; Ku.Busch, 5 times for 43 laps; T.Stewart, 2 times for 43 laps; J.Johnson, 2 times for 28 laps; J.Burton, 1 time for 19 laps; M.Ambrose, 1 time for 4 laps; Ky.Busch, 1 time for 1 lap; C.Bowyer, 1 time for 1 lap; M.Waltrip, 1 time for 1 lap.

Top 12 in points: 1. J.Johnson, 6,652; 2. M.Martin, 6,511; 3. J.Gordon, 6,473; 4. Ku.Busch, 6,446; 5. D.Hamlin, 6,335; 6. T.Stewart, 6,309; 7. G.Biffle, 6,292; 8. J.Montoya, 6,252; 9. R.Newman, 6,175; 10. K.Kahne, 6,128; 11. C.Edwards, 6,118; 12. B.Vickers, 5,929.