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SPORTS Saturday 21 OctOber 2017

Johnson, Kenseth on bubble as Kansas elimination race looms

By DAVE SKRETTA hanging out in back. His
AP Sports Writer caption: “Just taking the
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — kids to lunch.”
Jimmie Johnson took time “The funny part was be-
this week to drive the car ing in car seats,” joked
pool for Hendrick Motors- Byron, who tops the Xfin-
ports whiz kids Alex Bow- ity playoffs heading into
man and William Byron, Saturday’s race at Kansas.
while Matt Kenseth joked “That was cool to spend
last weekend about driv- time with him, pull from his
ing a school bus if he fails knowledge, see how he
to find a ride for next sea- was going to approach this
son.Both would be happier weekend. It seems like he’s
driving in hopes of a Cup really ready to go.”
Series title next week. Looking at his cheesy grin,
Johnson is in the eighth and you’d never guess how
final spot to avoid elimina- much of a struggle this year
tion in NASCAR’s playoffs as has been. Johnson hasn’t
the series heads an elimina- had a top-five finish since
tion race at Kansas Speed- winning at Dover in June,
way on Sunday. Kyle Busch and has led just five laps in
is seven points behind him his last 14 races.
as the first driver out, while “The speed department
Kenseth is another point off has been a little tough on Jimmie Johnson drives back to the garage during practice for the NASCAR Monster Cup auto
the cut line. us,” he said. “We’ve been race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Friday, Oct 20, 2017.
“We’re a team and a frustrated through the sum- Associated Press
group that thrives on ad- mer months and that yield- driver standpoint.” Kenseth makes no excuses “You have all year to col-
versity. Whenever we’re ed poor results, but we’ve The fact that Kenseth for his career situation, just lect all those points and
backed in a corner we al- been on the right track the hasn’t won is a big reason as he doesn’t make any ex- we didn’t do a very good
ways step up and deliver,” last few weeks.” why Gibbs is turning the No. cuses for being on the play- job,” he said. “If we don’t
said Johnson, whose hopes Kenseth is likewise opti- 20 over to Erik Jones next off bubble. He understands run good Sunday, we don’t
of winning a record-setting mistic heading to Kansas, season, forcing the 2003 his team had plenty of op- deserve to be in the next
eighth championship took where Toyotas in general champion to muse about portunities to win stages round anyway.”
a big hit during last week’s and his Joe Gibbs Racing driving a school bus next and finish near the front of Johnson and Kenseth
crash-filled race at Talla- team specifically have ex- year. races, both of which would aren’t the only former
dega. perienced plenty of suc- “That was 95 percent a have improved his playoff champions under pressure
Johnson was caught up cess over the years. He has joke,” he said Friday. positioning. this weekend.q
in a 17-car melee with 16 won twice at the 1.5-mile
laps to go, then his No. 48 oval and led 116 laps en
team was parked for the route to finishing ninth a Wimbledon champ
rest of the afternoon when year ago.
it prematurely began work- But while Johnson has at
ing on his car during the least been running up front, Muguruza earns WTA
12-minute red flag. Kenseth is still alive in the
“During the week it’s easy playoffs only because of his Player of the Year honors
to get frustrated, at the start consistency. He rarely has
of the week, reliving what a bad afternoon, but he
happened,” he said. “But hasn’t won since July 2016. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) French Open champion
that’s part of pro sports and “There’s only five races — Wimbledon champion Jelena Ostapenko as Most
the position I’m in, chasing left, last race of the round. Garbine Muguruza is the Improved Player, CiCi Bellis
my eighth championship.” We’re kind of running out WTA Player of the Year, as Newcomer of the Year,
If the pressure is getting to of races this year,” Kenseth and U.S. Open champion and Martina Hingis and
Johnson, he isn’t letting on. said. “Obviously winning Sloane Stephens is the Chan Yung-Jan as Doubles
The cool Californian post- has been important to us Comeback Player of the Team of the Year. In this July 15, 2017, file photo,
ed a selfie of himself and and we haven’t been able Year. Muguruza beat Venus Wil- Spain’s Garbine Muguruza
his future teammates on to do that in a year and a The women’s tennis tour an- liams in the Wimbledon holds the trophy after defeating
Instagram on Wednesday, half. But having said that, nounced the annual hon- final in July for her sec- Venus Williams of the United
showing the 42-year-old we can’t run well here, we ors on Friday. The awards ond Grand Slam title, then States in the Women’s Singles
final match at the Wimbledon
Johnson in the driver’s seat can’t run anywhere. This are voted on by members moved up to No. 1 in the Tennis Championships in
and 24-year-old Bowman has always been one of my of the media. rankings for the first time in London.
and 19-year-old Byron better race tracks from a Other recipients include September.q Associated Press