Johnson wins pole at Chicagoland

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- Jimmie Johnson took an immediate step toward another Sprint Cup title - but the five-time champion is well aware it was a small one.

Johnson won the pole Saturday for this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway, an impressive start for the man whose streak of five Cup titles came to an end last year. The Chase for the Sprint Cup begins with Sunday's 400-mile event, but Johnson shrugged off any talk of an immediate statement.

"It's too early in the Chase to be over-the-top excited or down and out if you didn't qualify like you wanted to," Johnson said.

Johnson qualified at 182.865 mph, good enough for his second pole of the year and 27th of his career. The other 11 drivers in the Chase had mixed results in qualifying. Matt Kenseth was third, one spot ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Kasey Kahne was sixth - but Earnhardt will have to start from the back because of an engine change.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/racing/09/15/jimmy-johnson-pole.ap/index.html#ixzz26aghuuox

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