Johnson dominant at Pocono

Jimmie Johnson walked into the media center holding his daughter’s hand, his pregnant wife right behind them. Their second child is due in September, right around the time of the final race before the Chase field is set.

With an automatic berth in NASCAR’s playoffs secured, Johnson has permission to skip the race for the big birth.

“If Chani goes into labor early, I don’t have to worry about Richmond,” Johnson said.

A week after a late penalty denied his chance at a win, Johnson absolutely dominated Sunday at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., leading 128 of 160 laps for his third victory of the season.

“Jimmie’s switched on right now,” crew chief Chad Knaus said. “He’s as good or better as I’ve ever seen him.”

High praise for the five-time champion.

Even during his championship run, Johnson rarely cruised like he did on the 2 1/2-mile triangle track. The Sprint Cup points leader, Johnson pulled away on both of the last two restarts over the final 10 laps to pull into Victory Lane at Pocono for the first time since he swept both races in 2004.

Johnson was never challenged a week after his run at a possible win at Dover International Speedway was taken away by a penalty off a restart. NASCAR penalized him for jumping leader Juan Pablo Montoya off the restart with 19 laps left and he finished 17th.

It was a rare misstep for Johnson but he rebounded just fine at Pocono.

“It would have been very easy to come in here with a chip on your shoulder or a grudge,” Knaus said. “Jimmie is not that kind of guy.”

Johnson, though, briefly flirted with the idea of pulling some sort of restart stunt to send a message to NASCAR. He just couldn’t bring himself to try and get one over on Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“I wanted to prove a point and show everyone what could happen in that restart zone,” Johnson said.

There was no need. The No. 48 Chevrolet was that dialed in.

He pretty much only lost the lead because of pit stop cycles.

After only one caution in the first 125 laps, they came in bunches over the last 35. Johnson held off Earnhardt with nine laps left and pulled away one more time with four to go.

“He’s one of the best drivers this sport has ever seen,” Earnhardt said. “Chad Knaus is probably one of the smartest crew chiefs the sport has ever seen.”

Johnson also won the Daytona 500 and at Martinsville Speedway this season. His 63rd career Cup victory helped stretch his points lead to 51 over Carl Edwards.

Johnson won from the pole after rain washed out qualifying Friday.

Odds are, Johnson won’t really skip a race, especially with the due date in mid-September. But if he has that top seed locked up and is needed in a pinch, he’ll put family first.

“That’s what I’m working so hard for,” he said.

Greg Biffle was second and Earnhardt third. Tony Stewart was fourth, followed by Ryan Newman.

“I really didn’t have anything for Jimmie,” Biffle said. “Jimmie was in a league of his own.”

Earnhardt would love a repeat of last season when he was in contention at Pocono before settling for eighth, then won the next week at Michigan International Speedway. He hasn’t won since – and Michigan is on deck.

Nationwide Series

Trevor Bayne rallied to win the rain-plagued NASCAR Nationwide series race in Newton, Iowa, becoming just the third series regular to win this season.

Bayne caught pole-sitter Austin Dillon with 11 laps to go and hung on for his second career win and first of 2013.

Dillon was second, followed by Elliott Sadler, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Kyle Larson in the first Nationwide race of the year without a Sprint Cup driver.