The Nextel Cup title is Jimmie Johnson's to lose.

For anyone else, it would be a perfect position. But Johnson has been here before.

Johnson lost two of these titles before, and nothing is guaranteed - even after his second-place finish Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway gave him a firm hold atop the Chase for the championship leaderboard.

He needs to only finish 12th or better next week in the seasonfinale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the championship.

''I seriously don't have any clue what to expect,'' Johnson said. ''I don't have any strategy other than go down and finish ahead of (the other Chase drivers). It's just that simple. That's all we've done so far, through these last few months, and we're just going to go down there and do the same thing.''

What Johnson has done is put together a nearly flawless five-race stretch to rescue his season.