NASCAR Update

It looks like we’re going to end the year with two four-time champions -- not only Jimmie Johnson, who is poised to capture his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup title, but also in Ron Hornaday, who often is overlooked but already has clinched his fourth Camping World Truck Series title. Kevin Harvick held off Kyle Busch to take the checkered flag in last Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway, but the big winner was Ron Hornaday, who secured his record fourth Truck Series championship with a fourth-place finish at the 1-mile track, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet owned by Harvick. The 51-year-old Hornaday became the oldest champion in NASCAR history and celebrated with his owner by lining up side-by-side at the finish line for a simultaneous burnout. The owners' title is still up for grabs as Kevin Harvick Inc. holds a 60-point lead over Billy Ballew. "We're not done yet," Hornaday said as soon as he climbed from his truck. "We've got to get that owners' championship for Kevin and DeLana." Busch, who had his streak of five wins in his past five starts come to an end, drives for free for Ballew as a favor to help the fledgling owner, who first entered Trucks in 1996, its second season. "We're racing Kyle Busch for owners' points and that's truly the goal," said Hornaday, who won drivers' championships in 1996, '98 and 2007. The Camping World Truck’s season finally is tonight on Speed with coverage beginning at 6:30.

One little slipup at Texas that wasn't even his fault, and some of us actually believed for a few seconds that Mark Martin had a chance of at least taking this Chase for the Sprint Cup down to the wire with three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson. Well, if you believed it then, there is nothing that says you can't keep on dreaming. In the aftermath of Johnson's dominant victory Sunday in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, it's over. But if you want to keep on fooling yourself into thinking Martin has a chance, NASCAR did make an announcement following the race. Martin, who finished fourth in Sunday's race, now trails Johnson by 108 points heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway next Sunday. He was down only 73 prior to the Phoenix race. But get this: just after a NASCAR official announced that all Johnson has to do in Homestead to win his unprecedented fourth consecutive championship is start and finish 25th or better -- regardless of whatever Martin does -- it also was announced that history shows this deficit can be overcome. Already nine times in his career Martin has beaten Johnson by 108 points or more in a single race, including at Texas two weeks ago and at Homestead in the 2005 season finale. Nine times out of 266. So I am hopeful but in case, congrats to Jimmie Johnson the first ever 4 in a row season champion…