Winston Cup young gun Jimmie Johnson said he might cool it Sunday during the Sirius 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.

Johnson, 27, one of the hottest prospects in NASCAR, has enjoyed a wild ride so far this season. Along with two wins and a pole at Pocono last weekend, Johnson also crashed at the June 1 Dover race while running third. And he’s been plagued by mechanical problems as well, blowing an engine at Atlanta and having horsepower troubles at Texas.

Johnson, who drives the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, is an aggressive racer, but he thinks he may have pushed too hard on occasion this year. At Michigan, he might decide to hold back — for a bit anyway.

“We’ve been competitive and a threat to win in every race,” said Johnson, who is seventh in the Winston Cup points race. “But I overdrove the car at Dover. Perhaps I should have waited and been more patient.”

A former stadium truck and off-road competitor, Johnson finished 12th in the Pocono 500. He’d like a much better result at Michigan, where he placed 14th and seventh in the two Cup races there last year.

“Michigan has been a good track for us,” said Johnson, who was runner-up to Ryan Newman for NASCAR rookie of the year in 2002. “We’ve run strong there. With a little bit of luck and a good handling car, I think we can win the race.”

Johnson, however, will resort to using his head as well as his right foot during Sunday’s race, the 15th of 36 series events.

“Michigan is so big and so fast,” said Johnson. “I’ve got to try to stay in touch with the leaders but keep within the limitations of the car. If I can stay calm and be smart, we should be in contention at the end.”

Johnson, who finished fifth in 2002 Winston Cup points, will take a lesson from team co-owner Jeff Gordon, who is third in the points standings.

“If Jeff ever overdrives the 24 car, you’d never know it,” said Johnson, winner of this year’s The Winston and the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “He just doesn’t get sucked into mistakes. If he does, he hides them pretty well.”

Johnson said he and Gordon have become good friends and close teammates in the last two years.

“He’s a great guy,” Johnson said. “We’ve only had two occasions when he spoke to me as an owner/driver. The rest of the time, we’re just teammates.”

One of the best-liked drivers on the Cup circuit, Johnson said he tries to conduct himself well on and off the racetrack.

“I’d like to think I’m a gentleman,” Johnson said. “I enjoy meeting and talking with people. I consider myself very, very lucky to be racing at this level, so I’ve got nothing to feel smug about.”

Johnson grew up in California riding motocross and driving in desert races.

“My family didn’t have the money to support my racing,” Johnson said. “I had to learn to network with folks. It taught me a lot about communicating.”

Jimmie Johnson, who drives the No. 48 Chevy, above, is in seventh place in the Winston Cup Series points race.

Johnson has proven a good student. In only his fourth Winston Cup career start, he won the 2002 Daytona 500 pole. His first Cup victory came at California in his 13th race.

Now, Johnson has his eyes set on the championship.

“I think I’m a better driver than last year,” Johnson said. “My goal is to win the Winston Cup title. We’ll start the chase at Michigan.”

Johnson expects Gordon to be tough at MIS. He also thinks points leader Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and veterans Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd will be in the hunt.

“You can’t beat experience,” Johnson said. “It counts so much.”

When Johnson pulls his helmet on Sunday, he’ll shed enough of his “nice guy” image to race for the win.

“I’m extremely serious out there,” Johnson said. “But I trust I can be considerate, too.”