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Title Contenders Jeff Gordon And Jimmie Johnson Square Off In Miami

Miami, Fla. ? Nextel Cup title combatants Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon along with car owner Rick Hendrick met with the media at a press conference prior to the 36th and final race of the Nextel Cup season. The three champions went out of their way to heap praise on each other, which is the way the scenario has played out throughout the long season.

Even though Johnson has a commanding 86 point lead going into the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Gordon stated repeatedly that he has not thrown in the towel. ?We brought our best car and we are not going to give up. We will give it all that we have,? Gordon said. ?It is frustrating to be so close. Regardless of the finish, it has been a fantastic year for us. Our goals were to be consistent and strong, and we did exactly what we wanted to do ? win races and contend for the championship.?

Johnson, the reigning Cup champion, exuded confidence but admitted that anything can happen on Sunday. ?We will not do anything different for the race,? he said. ?Pushing the envelope would not be a smart move for us. In my heart, I believe we have a good shot at winning the race.? Should he win it would mark his fifth consecutive victory.

Rick Hendrick is in an enviable position as he will capture his seventh Nextel Cup championship on Sunday regardless of the winning driver. The powerful Hendrick Motorsports team already has accumulated four championships with Gordon and one each with Terry Labonte and Johnson.

?Winning championships is what you work and plan for,? Hendrick said. ?You don?t expect to accomplish it but you set your goals high.? The veteran car owner credits the drivers, the crew chiefs and the full crew for his team?s success. ?We have 95 people on the two teams and 70 of them work on the Gordon and Johnson cars. Everyone freely shares information, too.?

Asked if he has a favors one driver over the other for the title, Hendrick emphatically stated he did not. ?Someone has to win and someone has to lose. It is a shame we can?t split the trophy. I will be proud of whichever driver wins the championship.?

Hendrick is known to spend a lot of time in the race shop and many attribute the organization?s success to his extensive involvement. ?I want to stay abreast of things and I spend a lot of time with the crew chiefs. We try to look at the competition and identify where we may have shortcomings. Working with the people is easy for me to do.?

Johnson attributes his success to being paired with championship drivers throughout his career, starting with his off-road racing days. ?I have studied them and learned a lot from them,? he noted. ?I have trained myself to watch and study my superiors, and it has helped me grow.?

Johnson and Gordon get along very well, which was once again evidenced today, and their personalities and goals are alike. When they do have differences on the track, they quickly settle resolve their issues.

Gordon realizes Johnson must falter for him to gain a coveted fifth championship. ?As bad as I want to win the championship, I will be thrilled if Jimmie (Johnson) wins it,? he stated. ?I couldn?t be more thrilled, and we won?t hang our heads because of it. It has been a great year for us on and off the track, in reference to his becoming a first-time father.

?Winning the championship would not top becoming a first-time dad but a championship would put a cherry on top of an unbelievable year,? Gordon said. Hendrick said he had never seen Gordon as happy as he is now as a parent. ?Jeff is happier with his life now than at any time since I?ve known him,? Hendrick commented.

Gordon couldn?t stop in his praise of Johnson. ?Jimmie can flat-out drive, and I am now going to have to start learning from him. He?s on top of his game, and he?s the one that everyone aspires to be.?

Johnson said his accomplishments are well beyond his wildest expectations. ?I never in my life thought I would be in this position fighting for a second championship. My success is so much higher that any goal I?ve ever had, and I feel like I?ve got a lot more years and championships ahead.?

The Nextel Cup championship will be settled early Sunday evening when the checkered flag falls on the Ford 400 at HMS.

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