Not even Johnson immune to Talladega's harsh reality

Talladega Superspeedway is known for close-quarters, high-speed racing on the high banks, which is a combination that can sometimes result in wild, multi-car crashes. And it's that threat on every lap of the 2.66-mile oval that looms in the mind of every driver in the Chase for the Sprint Cup this weekend.

This is the track that has tripped up the championship chances of Chase drivers in the past, particularly for Jimmie Johnson, the current points leader.

• Send Mark your thoughts
• Mark's Community page

In 2004, Johnson collided with Kasey Kahne on pit road (watch video) and damaged the air duct to his radiator, which caused the engine to overheat and finally expire late in the race, leaving him 37th. The next fall, Johnson was at the center of a chain-reaction crash involving Elliott Sadler, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin, with Michael Waltrip getting the worst of it (watch video).

Johnson was also involved in a huge 25-car wreck that spring (watch video), which resulted in Junior calling him "an idiot." So Sadler wasn't very complimentary after Johnson ran into the back of his car, triggering the pileup.

"I'm really upset at Jimmie," Sadler said. "I guess he's trying to keep his streak alive. He caused a big wreck here last year and he caused a big one again this year. Maybe that's his way of racing here at Talladega ... try to get rid of everybody so he can win the race."

Earnhardt, who was giving Johnson a bump draft, said the accident had more to do with circumstances.

"It was just hard racing," Junior said. "We're all together so it's hard to miss something when you're going so fast. You can turn left, but the car is still going to go straight. It's just frustrating, because there's nothing you can do."

But if you need an example of how fortunes can change in an instant at Talladega, one only needs to look back at the 2006 UAW-Ford 500, when soon-to-be ex-teammates -- and future teammates -- wound up having a major effect not only on the finishing order of the race, but on the championship.

With an opportunity to make major gains in the standings when Jeff Burton pitted late for a flat tire, Earnhardt and Johnson expected to make it a two-car fight to the finish on the final lap. But Brian Vickers -- who had already announced plans to leave Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season -- had other plans. (Continued)