Cuts » The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Chad Knaus swears his team, and his driver Jimmie Johnson, dont obsess over Johnson potentially earning a record-tying seventh championship.He says they worry about winning the next race, earning Johnsons 80th career victory after No. 79 came Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.But he must not read Johnsons Twitter account. Johnson has no hashtag about the number of wins. But he often puts in his tweets:#Se7enOn Twitter, a person cant add emphasis to a hashtag. But after Sunday, Johnsons #Se7en will take a new meaning over the next three weeks.His Goodys Fast Relief 500 victory propelled him into the true championship conversation as he earned one of the four berths available in the Homestead finale for the eight remaining Chase for the Sprint Cup drivers. Johnson, any Chase drivers who win upcoming events at Texas and Phoenix and then those best in points will fill the remaining four spots.Tying Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with a record seven career titles would seem a ridiculous notion for Johnson years ago when the off-road racer made a nondescript entrance into NASCAR as a good-but-not-great Xfinity Series driver.Id love to do it, Johnson said. Honestly, just thrilled to have a shot at it. Thats all you can hope for, is just have a shot at it.Johnson never dreamed of winning seven titles. While he did guarantee potential sponsors back in the day he would win in Cup, that was more youthful enthusiasm and not a prediction. But once he was paired with Chad Knaus and put in cars that required his excellent car control, Johnson became unstoppable as he won five titles from 2006-2010 and then another in 2013.Johnson also has enjoyed a ridiculous turnaround in 2016 alone. He had a 15-race stretch where he posted just three top-5 finishes starting in April at Bristol and running through early August at Watkins Glen.Sometimes youre not as good as you look, youre not as bad as you look, team owner Rick Hendrick said. I dont think we were as bad. Now, we were pretty terrible back April, May.We started picking up speed, getting to the front, leading some laps. We could see it coming. ... I felt like we could be at Homestead, but theres no guarantee. There are a whole lot of people in the garage that thought theyd be at Homestead that wont be at Homestead.Hendrick played a role. He spent more time with the team, its engineers, its crew chiefs and its drivers.The turnaround, Im way impressed with, especially from where we came from to where weve ended up, Johnson said. Its one thing to see progress, but to advance and go back to leading a lot of laps and contending for many wins is very, very impressive.We couldnt have done it on our own. It took all four teams, then it took all the departments at Hendrick. Honestly, it took Rick Hendrick showing his commitment. For him to sit in the wind tunnel for a 24?hour shift with all the teams, his commitment. He couldnt help being in that wind tunnel, but his presence there, the message that sent to the organization.Even the win Sunday had its ridiculous moments for Johnson. He seemed surprised when Denny Hamlin slammed into him to make a pass, feeling as if he was racing hard but not worthy of such an aggressive move. The damage, luckily for Johnson, just needed a little bit of fixing.Im puzzled that he had to move me like he did, Johnson said. The inside is a preferred lane. I gave him the inside.I had a little something working on the top. Theres a line of cars behind him. I just cant roll over.Then with about 140 laps to go, Johnson was among four cars that had not pitted during a lengthy green-flag run when Carl Edwards blew a tire and slammed the wall. Struggling to make sure he had enough fuel, Johnson accidentally stalled his car on the backstretch.He realized he had hit the wrong switch, turning off the electronic control unit for the fuel injection system. Johnson lost only three spots because only a few cars remained on the lead lap, and he got the car re-fired before he lost a lap. Somehow his car had enough fuel to make it around for several circuits before NASCAR opened pit road as it tried to get the scoring figured out.Johnson restarted fourth -- his team thought he should have started a little higher, but after nearly 20 minutes and 29 caution laps of NASCAR confusion in its scoring tower, the team didnt have time to create more of a ruckus -- and then owned the final green-flag segment of the race.its unbelievable were here with the trophy, Johnson said. We were parked on the backstretch with a hundred [or so] to go.Thankfully, we had some track position at the time, so the pace car didnt come to me and put me down a lap. That would have been a huge problem for us.It took Johnson 23 laps to motor to the front, where he remained for the final 92 circuits. A hard-charging Brad Keselowski finished second with three frustrated Joe Gibbs Racing drivers -- Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch -- finishing third through fifth.That JGR trio remained ahead of the Chase bubble. The ones currently outside: Joey Logano (ninth), Kevin Harvick (20th), Kurt Busch (22nd) and Edwards (36th).While the JGR and Toyota drivers dominated the regular season, Johnson could now have the last laugh in his Chevrolet.Its not about the numbers, Knaus said. Its not about seven. Its not about tying Dale. Its not about tying Richard. Its not about beating Dale or Richard, beating Jeff [Gordon] for most wins [at Hendrick with 93]. I think you guys miss what were about.We want to go win Texas. You follow me? We want to go win Homestead. We want to go win Phoenix. Then, guess what, in a few months Daytona is rolling around, we want to win that one, too. Thats the way we approach every single race. Its not about what were eclipsing.Knaus can keep saying it, but he will convince few of it. Of course, lets be clear: Johnson doesnt need to win a seventh to cement him in NASCAR history. It only will enhance it.Seven is a number to a lot of people, but to me hes already one of the all-time greats, four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon said after what likely was the last race of his career. I think that number would maybe just solidify that in the history books maybe for some others, and maybe it would be really special to Jimmie personally.Im sure it would. Thats amazing. Seven. Kyrie Irving Jersey Large . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. Custom Cavaliers T-shirts . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. http://www.customcavaliersjersey.com/ . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Authentic Custom Cavaliers Jersey . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Custom Cavaliers Jersey China . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. DUBLIN -- Ireland will hit the tackle bags again this week knowing that they only have themselves to blame for doing so without the boost of a first home win over the All Blacks. There may still be grumblings from their supporters about the validity of New Zealands second try, but the fact is the men in green paid the price for a lack of penetration in their opponents 22.Joe Schmidts side spent the lions share of a brutal Test match in the All Blacks half -- and a quarter of it playing against 14 men -- but were unable to turn possession and territory into points. Even when it seemed they had breached that impenetrable black wall, the vital pass or offload failed to find its intended target.But while Ireland have plenty to work on as they prepare for Australias visit to Dublin next weekend, they also know there were positives to take from their second encounter in three weeks with the world champions.It is not every week that New Zealand are forced to work as hard in defence as they did here, and the yellow cards for Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa can be taken as proof of the pressure that the hosts were able to exert.As in Chicago, the penalty count was overwhelmingly in Irelands favour, while the All Blacks were forced to make 99 more tackles than their hosts. That Schmidts side were able to put in such an intense performance as injuries wracked up will be an antidote to the frustration.Robbie Henshaw lasted less than 11 minutes before a clash of heads with Sam Cane forced him to depart on a stretcher, while Johnny Sexton followed him down the tunnel before the end of the first quarter. CJ Stander did not last much longer.Test match rugby is a squad game, though, and it was therefore heartening for those in green that the intensity did not drop as Garry Ringrose, Paddy Jackson and Josh van der Flier entered the fray.dddddddddddd Those players will be better for this experience.The coaching staff and senior players lead by example and have the subs prepped and demand the most out of you during the week, a bruised and battered Ringrose said afterwards.Whether you have one cap or 100 caps the same is expected from everyone.Moving forward that attitude will be key in driving this team on as they target regaining their Six Nations crown from England next year.Ringrose, Jackson and Van der Flier have just 24 caps worth of Test experience between them, but they now know they can go toe to toe with the All Blacks. That confidence could prove invaluable in the years ahead.Every facet of the trios game was tested on Saturday evening, and little was found wanting. Jacksons kicking kept the Irish in striking distance, Ringrose put in 10 tackles in defence, and Van der Flier made 51 metres with the ball in hand.Ringrose described the performance of Leinster colleague Van der Flier as incredible after the game. Its cool for me sitting back and seeing him do that.The Dublin-born flanker with the Dutch name has now played 114 minutes against the All Blacks, and with him on the field, the score in those two games is 25-27 to the world champions. Van der Flier now knows that he can mix it with the very best.And, as Ireland turn their attention to Australia and ultimately the Six Nations, so do they -- Schmidts squad will prepare for those challenges with confidence rather than fear.When frustration is the overriding emotion following a defeat to the All Blacks, you know youre on the right path. ' ' '