.. Jimmie Johnson won the Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil, his 33rd victory in 218 Nextel Cup Series races. .. This is his 10th victory and 23rd top-10 finish in 2007. The last driver to win 10 races in a season was Jeff Gordon who won 13 in 1998. .. Johnson has won four consecutive races, beginning at Martinsville. The most recent driver to win four in a row was Jeff Gordon from Pocono through Michigan in 1998. The last driver to win five in a row was Richard Petty in 1971. .. This is his first victory and seventh top-10 finish in nine races at Phoenix International Raceway. .. Greg Biffle (second) posted his second top-10 finish in eight races at Phoenix. .. Matt Kenseth (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 11 races at Phoenix. .. Juan Pablo Montoya (17th) was the highest finishing rookie. .. Johnson now leads the Chase for the Nextel Cup by a margin of 86 points over Jeff Gordon. Johnson can clinch the championship with a 18th-place finish at Homestead regardless of the performance of any other driver or laps led. If he leads that drops to 19th or better; if he leads the most laps his clinch will be 21st or better.(NASCAR Statistics)(11-11-2007)
