Johnson confident of catching Gordon

The reigning Nextel Cup champion started the Chase in the lead but is now in second place, losing some crucial points specially last week at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he had an eventful race despite being the class of the field for most of the distance.

This weekend at Martisnville he is hoping to start turning things around in the title race, especially against Gordon. Johnson has won the last two events held at the half-mile oval and a year ago he took a victory that kicked off his recovery in the points, as he was 146 points off from the Chase lead.

"I'm still extremely optimistic," says Johnson. "We have a great track here for us. I know it's good for Jeff (Gordon), but through this stretch of races, 68 points is very, very small. It took us five races to be 68 points down. It's easy to get 68 (points) back in the remaining five (races) that we have."

Back in April this year at Martinsville, Johnson and Gordon raced hard for victory in the closing laps, with the latter bumping hard on the rear bumper of the No. 48 car. In the end Johnson was able to control Gordon's attacks to win the race.

Johnson says that despite being in the decisive part of the championship, he will continue to race just as hard in the five races remaining in the Chase, as he did in the beginning of the season.

He says he will go as far as it's permissible to win races, even if it means doing some bumping with Gordon, although he said he doesn't expect to go as far as spinning him out to beat him.

"Of course I want to outscore and be ahead of the No. 07 (Bowyer) the No. 24 (Gordon) and the No. 20 (Stewart) and probably try a little harder to get by those guys if that opportunity is there, but I don't change - not in the Chase or whatever part of the season it is - I need those points and I need to pass that guy," he added.

"I'd get in there and use the bumper and try to move someone but my intentions, and I think if it did happen, then it would be a big problem, but I don't think I would put myself in a position to turn Jeff around...If it did happen, hopefully everyone would understand that it would be accidental (laughs)."

Johnson will start Sunday's race at Martinsville from fourth on the grid.