SPOILER ALERT: NASCAR Nextel Cup wraps up at Homestead

Team-mates and title rivals Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson at Homestead

We'll freely admit that we don't give NASCAR much coverage here at Autoblog. It's the most popular form of motorsport in America by far, but push come to shove, there just aren't any big oval-track racing mavens on our staff. The F1 fans among us couldn't help but take notice when the grand prix drivers started streaming in to stock cars, but beyond that....

[Source: AutoWeek]

For you NASCAR fans out there, though, we're glad to bring you the announcement of this year's Nextel Cup winner: Jimmie Johnson. It should come as no big surprise for anyone who's been even remotely following this year's Chase, as the Hendrick Motorsport driver held a healthy lead over his team-mate Jeff Gordon going into this weekend's season closer at the Homestead Speedway in Miami. All he had to do was play it safe, finishing seventh. Gordon would have needed a miracle with the point spread, despite having lead the season right up until the readjustment for the Chase segment.

Roush Fenway's Matt Kenseth took the checkered flag at the season-ender, finishing the season in fourth overall. For those interested, Juan Pablo Montoya finished the race in an admirable fifteenth place, and placed 20th overall in the title race, while Jimmie Johnson hoisted the Cup for the second time in his career.