As Stewart catches fire, Johnson slides into trouble

Jimmie Johnson's car may not have been the only part of his season going up in flames Sunday at Indianapolis' Brickyard. AP

Here are five things we learned on a sun-splashed, humid day at the most hallowed racetrack in the world:

1. The new favorite to win the Cup championship is ... Tony Stewart.

On Sunday at the Brickyard Stewart was at his dominating best, leading a race-high 65 laps on his way to winning his second straight race. As I wrote in the magazine last week, Stewart is poised to go on a sizzling summer run. He has a history of performing well in July and August -- since 2004 he's won nine races in these two months -- and, given the momentum he's generated, it wouldn't be surprising if he takes the checkered flag at both Pocono next weekend and at Watkins Glen on Aug. 12.

2. Jimmie Johnson is ... in trouble.

There's no mistaking it: JJ is in the throes of wicked summer slump. On Sunday, for the second straight race, he cut a tire and crashed hard -- really hard -- into the wall and failed to finish. He wound up 41st at the Brickyard and fell from seventh to ninth in the points. Suddenly, for the first time all year, the defending champion is in danger of missing the Chase.

So what's ailing the No. 48 team? Two words: Chad Knaus. Ever since Knaus incurred a six-race suspension from NASCAR for a rules violation before the Sonoma race, Johnson finishes have gone as follows: 17th at Sonoma, fifth at Loudon, 10th at Daytona, 37th at Chicago, and 41st at Indy. Knaus is rightfully regarded as the top crew chief in NASCAR, and it's clear that his team is sorely missing him. Knaus can't return to the track until the Michigan race on Aug. 19th, which means the 48 team will be without their leader next week at Pocono and the following week at Watkins Glen. Last year aside, this team has a history of slumping in the summer, which makes these next few races all the more significant for Johnson and his crew.

3. The Chip Ganassi Dodges are ... coming on strong.

A day after the Ganassi duo of Reed Sorenson and Juan Pablo Montoya qualified first and second, respectively, for the Allstate 400, the pair backed up their impressive pre-race runs by finishing second (Montoya) and fifth (Sorenson). Montoya, who won the Indy 500 in '00, was particularly impressive. After falling back in the field midway through the race, he patiently drove his way into the top 10, and in the closing laps he was the only driver who had a chance of catching Stewart. After the race I chatted with Montoya's crew chief Donnie Wingo, and he marveled at JP's ability to pass cars on re-starts. "That's the only time you can pass in Formula One, and that's where Juan learned how to get around guys so quickly," Wingo said. "Man, he's a rare talented."

Agreed.

4. This race means something.

Prior to Sunday, six of last nine winners at the Brickyard have gone on to win the championship. So does this mean that Stewart will be your '07 Nextel Cup champion? Well, I'm starting to think so.

5. The merger of DEI and Ginn Racing is off to a nice start.

One of the biggest stories of the '07 NASACAR season is the merger of DEI and Ginn Racing. With one handshake between Teresa Earnhardt and Bobby Ginn, DEI has been transformed from a second-tier team to a NASCAR power. Overnight, DEI has essentially doubled its resources and added something that the team has been lacking ever since Dale Earnhardt Sr. died at Daytona in '01: a veteran leader. Make no mistake, Mark Martin, who was at Ginn, is now the face and voice of DEI -- more so then even Dale Earnhardt Jr. Within hours of the merger, Martin showed his leadership by calling the other DEI drivers to establish a free-flowing dialogue. This is one of Martin's greatest attributes: He's a master communicator with other drivers, and when he's on your team it ensures that information on things such as setups and lines around the track will be shared between all the drivers and crew chiefs.

On Sunday the DEI boys finished sixth (Martin.), 12th (Martin Truex Jr.), and 34th (Earnhardt). Check out the magazine this week for my full take on this newly strengthened team.