CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson’s quest to win a record-tying seventh championship has been burning for nearly three years at Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson wants that title. Chad Knaus wants that title. Rick Hendrick wants that title.

Oh, how easy it would be for No. 48 team to coast through the next two weeks, to look only at the Nov. 20 season finale and the opportunity to reach the top of NASCAR.

They won’t. This is “can’t stop, won’t stop” time and these guys are on a mission.

And in this year of the ho-hum playoffs, it may be the storybook ending NASCAR needs.