Johnson tied the 30-year-old mark of three straight titles set by Cale Yarborough in 1976-'78.
He cruised to a 15th-place finish in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, far ahead of the 37th place he needed to clinch the title. Edwards dominated the race and won by stretching his fuel mileage at the finish, scoring his series-high ninth victory of the season.
"I just don't have words to express how proud I am of this race team," said Johnson, who said he tried to stay focused on the task at hand and therefore was just now beginning to ponder the historic achievement. "I'm just lost for words on the whole experience. It's been awfully amazing."
Johnson won seven races this season, but he and Edwards were far behind Kyle Busch — who won eight of the first 27 races — when the 10-race Chase to the Cup began. Busch, the hottest driver on the circuit for the first two-thirds of the year, inexplicably dropped out of contention when the Chase began.
That left the championship fight to Johnson, Edwards and Greg Biffle, who won twice during the Chase. Edwards won three of the last four races.
But Johnson was relentlessly competitive and consistent. He gave team owner Rick Hendrick his eighth NASCAR Cup Series championship title. Chad Knaus is the first crew chief to string together three championships.
Inside Line says: Johnson's three straight titles have not been flukes. He and the Lowe's-sponsored No. 48 Chevrolet have been the class of the Cup field the past three seasons. — David Green, Correspondent
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