Homestead, Fla. ? Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus never slowed down enough to consider what a record-tying third consecutive championship would mean to their legacy.

Don’t count on them doing it now.

After tying Cale Yarborough’s 30-year mark as the only driver with three straight championships, Johnson and his crew chief were already thinking about going after No. 4.

“I could go race again next week and start the season and go for four,” Johnson said after Sunday’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “It’s on our minds. It’s not that we’re chasing a number, we just know what we’re capable of. We know we can do better. It’s a search to do the best we can.”

Knaus, the first crew chief in series history to win three straight, even offered to report to work this morning to start their pursuit.

He was only partly kidding.

“We want four. Why not? That’s why we’re here,” Knaus said. “We can definitely bid for four. Give me a reason why not.”

Carl Edwards could certainly offer a reason or two after winning Sunday’s race – his series-best ninth victory of the season – only to fall 69 points short of wrestling the Sprint Cup trophy away from Johnson. Edwards led a race-high 157 laps, and won despite running out of gas as he crossed the finish line.

Johnson won the title by finishing 15th.

“We won more races than Jimmie (seven), and we ran with him when he won,” Edwards said. “I know they’ll enjoy this championship, but they knew we were here.”