Making a statement heading into Homestead, Jimmie Johnson dominated Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 for his seventh victory of the year. Leading three times for a total of 217 laps, Johnson now leads Carl Edwards in the series standings by 141 points with just one race remaining.

"You just never know with this sport, you can never count this team out," Johnson said. "This sport, it challenges you. I can't tell you how tough this last week's been. It's just emotional, regardless if you have a points lead or not."

After a disappointing 15th-place finish in Texas last weekend, Johnson rebounded by capturing the pole and leading the most laps during Sunday's race. Although Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray led laps early, nobody came close to what the No. 48 Lowe's team brought to the table today.

"This is something special," runner-up Kurt Busch explained. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to talk about my team and my crew right now or what Jimmie is doing in this sport. We were good, but we weren't that good. What he's building on and what they're doing with three championships in a row is something pretty special. I encourage all the fans to come out and watch or be there on TV, this is something Jimmie Johnson is putting a whooping on everyone."

Earning his third win in a row at the Phoenix International Raceway, Johnson more than made up for his disappointing run in Texas by doing all he could to extend his lead over Edwards in second. In order to take his third consecutive championship title, Johnson now simply has to finish 36th or better next week at Homestead.

"Damn, I wanted to only have to start," Johnson said of his requirements next week. "When I started way back when, I didn't think it would all come together and I'd have a chance to drive for Hendrick Motorsports, have a sponsor like Lowe's and be here looking at our third (championship), it's pretty cool."

The only driver still with a mathematical shot at the title is Johnson's biggest competitor, Carl Edwards. Despite starting fifteenth and running mid-pack most of the afternoon, Edwards was able to come home with a fourth-place finish, but failed to lead a lap.

"We had a great run," Edwards said after climbing from his No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion. "Jimmie's just doing it, he did a great job. The thing we have got to do is keep our heads up and go on to Homestead. It's still possible, it's not probable, but I can guarantee we'll go there and give it 100% and hope that something happens."

While Edwards and his Roush Fenway Racing team are going into next week not giving up, it is going to take a major issue or failure on the part of the No. 48 crew to change the outcome of this year's title. The way things look now, it appears Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and the entire No. 48 team are on their way to their third Cup Series title in a row.

Comparing Johnson's three year title run to Cale Yarborough's - the only other driver to accomplish the feat - is something for historians down the road to discuss. Right now, whether you are a fan of the No. 48 or not, you have to respect and admire what this team has been able to accomplish in few years they have been in this sport. Many counted this team out in the beginning of the year, but they have shown they are more than deserving of this title - and Sunday's run simply proved that point.