Johnson looks to remaster Monster Mile

DOVER, Del. (May 15, 2010) – Jimmie Johnson mastered the Monster Mile in 2009, and the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion returns to Dover International Speedway this Sunday looking for his third straight win at the concrete oval. With five wins, seven top-five finishes and 11 top-10s in 16 Sprint Cup Series starts at the speedway, Johnson has become one of the stronger drivers at Dover. He is tied for second all-time in wins at the speedway with David Pearson. Only Richard Petty and Bobby Allison have more (each with seven). But among active drivers, Johnson holds the title for the most wins. His teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon rank tied for second with four wins apeice. Johnson has led 1,206 laps at Dover, his third career-best behind Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (1,551 laps) and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1,334). Since Johnson and the No. 48 started in the sport full time in 2002, they have not finished a season without sweeping at least one racetrack. Johnson has swept Dover twice -- in 2002 and, most recently, in 2009. In last May’s Cup event at Dover, Johnson started eighth and led a race-high 298 laps on his way to Victory Lane. In the following in September event, Johnson scored his first of four wins in the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship, which would help him secure his fourth consecutive championship in the series. In that event, Johnson started the pole and led all but 129 laps in the 400-lap event. "We were lucky to sweep a track each year we've been in the sport,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet said. “I don't know if there's something consistent that takes place in each situation. Dover is a fairly consistent racetrack, the concrete surface and things like that. But then we've raced on one tire in the spring and a different tire in the fall, so it kind of mixes it back up. I don't think there is a clear-cut answer. Maybe confidence has something to do with it? When you win the spring race, you have a good starting point with your setup to come back in the fall and you're very confident about what you're feeling and the direction the car is going." Race coverage begins this Sunday at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.