Nice guys do finish first ... and second

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- There are two flavors in this year's Nextel Cup championship race. Unfortunately they're both vanilla.

Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are two of the most talented and successful drivers to come along in NASCAR history. But neither is in any danger of being confused with someone from the WWE.

Jeff Gordon allows that 'Jimmie annoys the heck out of me because he wins all the time.' (Getty Images)

Johnson understands that to some, the pair's non-controversial relationship isn't as exciting as if the teammates didn't get along so well.

"Even when I watch other sports you want to see hatred, and fights and juicy stuff for television, but I guess we're just not doing that, and we're sorry," he said.

The Hendrick teammates share many of the same traits both on and off the track. Johnson credits his attitude and low-key approach to his early days.

"I think a lot of it has to do with our upbringing," said Johnson. "But when we were kids growing up, I think our parents set the tone. Yeah, you can be mad, but there is a way to carry yourself and be a good sportsman and have sportsmanship in anything."

Gordon admits there are differences between the two, but doesn't categorize any as sizeable obstacles to their friendship.

"Jimmie annoys the heck out of me because he wins all the time," he laughed. "I mean, I think the biggest difference between me and Jimmie, he's a morning person. He's a morning person. That is like I don't know if he does the coffee thing anymore, but he used to do four or five cups of coffee, and be wound up at the first practice. And usually I don't get going until the second practice."

"So I'm more of a night owl. But, no, the only thing he's irritated me with is the four wins lately. I've got a 5.2 average, and I'm 86 points down going into the final race. That irritates me."

You can understand Gordon's frustration. Despite his stellar Chase stats and a season that has included six victories, he faces nearly insurmountable odds of erasing his 86-point deficit and winning a fifth championship.

Although he all but conceded the title to Johnson last week in Phoenix, Gordon's plan is to go out swinging this week in the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he has yet to win a Nextel Cup race.

"We'll do everything possible to finish on a high note," Gordon said. "We want to run well, put pressure on the 48 team and hopefully get the win because it's a track that has eluded us.

"The 48 team deserves a lot of credit. They have stepped up their game during the Chase and destroyed the competition these last four weeks. So far, they've done the job needed to win the championship. I thought this was our year but, the way things have been going lately, I don't think it is."

Although Johnson needs only an 18th-place finish even if Gordon wins the race and leads the most laps Sunday, he's not taking anything for granted.

"The lead that we have, it's a nice, comfortable position to be in," he said. "But we've got to go down there and run 400 miles. That's bottom line. If we don't run the full distance of the race, then we're in trouble."

Johnson might sound a bit worried, but you wouldn't know it from his plan of preparation for the season finale. As he did leading up to Phoenix a week ago, Johnson did his best to unplug from the entire NASCAR world and the stress of running for a second straight title.

"Last week was a good example of disappearing and going on vacation for a couple days," he said. "Not reading or seeing any highlights on TV, nothing, I was completely out of the loop. I hope I can do that this week. Show up, keep it simple and get in the race car and go."

If Johnson's strategy works, he'll have back-to-back titles. And if it doesn't, Gordon will be the one to give car owner Rick Hendrick his seventh Cup crown.

"I'm just proud of Hendrick Motorsports, and the fact that this championship is going to come home to Rick Hendrick," Gordon said. "You know, we've got the best car owners, best support organization. To have two of these teams out there with a shot at it, it's fantastic. Either way, like I said, it's been a fantastic year."

However it works out, the odds are good either Johnson or Gordon will be in Victory Lane congratulating the other on the championship.