Jimmie Johnson wins seventh series title in Homestead finale

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Jimmie Johnson's car was seized by NASCAR shortly before the race for a last-minute trip through inspection, setting Johnson up for a mind-boggling Sunday in the Sprint Cup championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He was the worst of the four title contenders for most of the race but was gifted the chance of his career when Carl Edwards coughed away the title.

Given two more chances to win the title, Johnson got the restart of his life and stole the win that earned him another entry in NASCAR's record books. Johnson led only one lap — the last lap — and it was good enough for him to tie Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt as the only drivers in history to win seven titles.

"I had this crazy calmness over myself all day long leading into this," Johnson said. "Even with us running fifth and the championship looking like it's not going to be there, I just felt something."

Petty welcomed Johnson to the club, calling Johnson "a great champion, and this is really good for our sport." He was also feted by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., who represented his late father in victory lane.

"I told Jimmie I wish Dad was here to shake his hand," Earnhardt said. "How he won this thing tonight, I don't think a lot of people know, he can will himself to get [his all] out of a car when it matters. There's a lot of circumstance that played into it, but he put himself in that position."

Johnson had to beat only Edwards, Joey Logano and defending champion Kyle Busch to win the title. He did it with his first career victory at Homestead.

Edwards was in position to win until a caution with 10 laps remaining set up a wild sequence that ruined his title hopes. Edwards tried to block Logano on the restart, wound up wrecked, and it was Johnson who drove through the carnage to take the lead.

"I was racing for my life up to that point," Edwards said. "I just pushed the issue as hard as I could because I figured that was the race there. I couldn't go to bed tonight and think that I gave him that lane."

Johnson had to withstand two more restarts, and dedicated the final two attempts at the win to the late Ricky Hendrick, who was one of 10 friends and family members killed in a 2004 plane crash.

"My heart was full because I was thinking of some loved ones like Ricky Hendrick and his influence," he said. "Something happened from above."

Johnson had driven the entire 10-race Chase with a tribute helmet to Earnhardt and Petty, the drivers he's been chasing since he won his sixth title in 2013. Immediately after the race, he gave the helmet to retiring three-time champion Tony Stewart.