Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog

OK, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due and Jimmie Johnson deserves credit for Sunday’s win in Texas. He could have easily sat back in second and let Kenseth have the lead in the closing laps of the race, but he didn’t. Instead, Jimmie put it on the line and went after Kenseth for the lead getting his car sideways in the process and hurting his Championship chances.

Not only that, but Kenseth go his car way loooose once and almost took out Jimmie right there in the corner but, by some freakish act of the God that Hendrick Motorsports worships to, Matt was able to hold onto his car and not collect Jimmie in what would have most likely been a race ending, and perhaps Championship ending, wreck. Wow.

Jeff Gordon had a good run, but not as good as Jimmie’s. Jeff now sits second in the standings and it is looking like that elusive 5th Championship will remain unwon for yet another season

Oh, I’m not writing Jeff off by any means, and I won’t until the final checkered flag at Homestead, but we’ve seen this before and it is harder to bounce back in situations like this if you are in Gordon’s position. Jimmie has less pressure on him now than Jeff does, because Jimmie never really had the lead until now, whereas Jeff has been sitting on the top of the standings for a fairly lengthy period of time and now has lost it and wants it back with just 2 races left.

It is harder to get something back once you’ve lost it, than to take something that you didn’t really have to begin with - in this case it is the lead for the Championship.

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

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