Johnson going for three of three victories

LONG POND, Pa. - Matt Kenseth furrowed his brow at the mere suggestion Jimmie Johnson had spiraled toward a slump.

Only a chump would count out the champ after an 0-for-11 start.

"I don't think anybody else was really being like, 'Oh, man, Jimmie's finally not winning. This is our shot, he's done,' " Kenseth said. "It doesn't surprise me at all that he won those two races and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he wins this weekend."

Coming off consecutive wins in the Coca-Cola 600 and at Dover, Johnson stormed into Pocono Raceway trying to become the first driver to win three straight since 2007. The last driver to three-peat? Johnson, of course. He steamrolled to five straight victories in 2007 en route to 10 total and the second of five straight championships. He won his sixth last season and has stamped himself as a heavy favorite to add a record-tying seventh title.

He's certainly at the right track to make it three for three: Johnson has three career wins at Pocono, including a dominant victory last June.

"We can swing for the fences here, which makes that a lot of fun," Johnson said.

It's tough to guess what made it tougher for the rest of the field - a winless Johnson on a determined hunt for the first checkered flag or the No. 48 Chevrolet on a winning streak and wanting more.

"[The media] asked me before if I was worried about Jimmie because he was on a losing streak," Carl Edwards said. "I am worried about him now for the opposite reason."

Johnson's two wins make him a lock for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field, which means he can use what's left of the season before the final 10 races as sort of a test session to fine-tune his setups on the 48.

Crew chief Chad Knaus has always been at his best with time to prepare.

Johnson's six championships are behind only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt's record seven titles. Knaus has seven championships.

Denny Hamlin won the pole the first time he ever raced at Pocono Raceway. Eight years later, Hamlin still had the speed in the No. 11 Toyota to take the top spot at the triangle track.

Hamlin turned a track record-lap of 181.415 m.p.h. Friday to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup pole, a throwback to the times he dominated qualifying at one of his best tracks.