What makes a championship special? Beating Jimmie Johnson

   Carl Edwards, who starts from the pole in Sunday’s AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, says one of the things that makes this year’s championship battle special is the fact the winner will have to beat Jimmie Johnson to claim the sport’s top prize.

   “If it’s Matt Kenseth or Jeff Gordon or Kevin Harvick or even somebody further back. I know we’re still mathematically able, and that’s what you want – that’s what I would want,” said Edwards, who is 10^th in the series standings.

   “I would want to beat a guy like Jimmie and I’d want to beat him and Chad (Knaus, crew chief) and those guys when they’re on their game. So it is amazing what they’re able to do.

   “Someone put it really well the other day. They said, ‘The best rivalry that’s gone on the last decade has been the field vs. Jimmie Johnson,’ and that’s where we’re at right now.  Those guys are really good.”