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Homestead, Fla. — All Jimmie Johnson ever wanted was a chance to race with the best in NASCAR. Maybe even win a race or two.

Never did he expect to be a champion.

Especially four times over.

Johnson bulldozed his way into the record books by becoming the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive championships, finishing fifth in Sunday’s season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He joins Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and teammate Jeff Gordon (4) as the only drivers to win more than three titles.

“To do something that’s never been done in the sport, and love the sport like I do and respect it like I do and the greats — Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon — to do something they have never done is so awesome,” Johnson said. “And to win four championships in eight years, what this team has done — this is unbelievable.”

Yes, it is.

Johnson now stands atop NASCAR as a one-man dynasty, much like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Lance Armstrong in their sports.

Only Johnson hasn’t been feted under a blizzard of confetti by himself. His mighty Hendrick Motorsports team rules NASCAR the way UCLA once dominated the hardwood or Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls reigned supreme.

Johnson’s title gave a record 12th overall championship to team owner Rick Hendrick, who was in North Carolina with a niece who’s awaiting an emergency liver transplant. In his absence, the team took the top three spots in the final standings. Mark Martin wound up with his fifth runner-up finish in the standings, while Gordon was third.

Nobody gave Johnson anything, either. The other drivers raced hard around him all day, making Johnson earn every point in a race won by Denny Hamlin, who established himself as a driver to watch in 2010 by winning a career-high four races this season.

College basketball

Bird, Magic inducted

Kansas City, Mo. — Larry Bird finished his speech, walked back to his seat and received a fist bump from the man sitting next to him on the dais.

Had to be Magic Johnson.

If college basketball’s hall of fame is going to open its doors to one, the other has to be there.

Thirty years after their NCAA battle reshaped college basketball, Bird and Johnson were inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame on Sunday night at Sprint Center.

“We always had a mutual respect for each,” Bird said. “You always thought you had to have an edge, at least I did, but we always had that respect for each other. It’s kind of fitting that we go into college basketball’s hall of fame together.”

Bird and Johnson were given automatic entry into the collegiate hall for being members of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

Golf

Brooks wins Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach, Calif. — Mark Brooks won the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational for a record third time, birdieing three of the last four holes Sunday for a 5-under 67 and a two-stroke victory over Rickie Fowler and D.A. Points.

LPGA event delayed

Richmond, Texas — Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin will settle their duel for LPGA Tour player of the year on the final, frantic day of the season.

Kristy McPherson finished off a 5-under 67 on Sunday to move to 8 under and take the lead in the LPGA Tour Championship before the second round was suspended because of darkness.

Shin was one stroke back with two holes to play in her second round; Ochoa was two back with one hole left. Players will resume the second round this morning.

Westwood becomes No. 1

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Lee Westwood of England became Europe’s No. 1 golfer on Sunday after winning the Dubai World Championship by six strokes.

Molinari prevails in playoff

Miyazaki, Japan — Italy’s Edoardo Molinari won the Dunlop Phoenix, beating Sweden’s Robert Karlsson on the second playoff hole.

NBA

O’Neal applies for officer

Cleveland — Becoming one of Ohio’s uniformed officers won’t be a cakewalk for Shaquille O’Neal.

Hoping to further his sideline career in law enforcement, the Cleveland Cavaliers star has applied to become a special deputy in the Buckeye state. But the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Sunday that the Ohio attorney general’s office says O’Neal must pass an examination and undergo substantial training first.

Tennis

Federer tops Verdasco

London — Roger Federer overcame an erratic forehand and Fernando Verdasco on Sunday, rallying to beat his Spanish opponent, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, in the round-robin stage of the ATP World Tour Finals.

The top-ranked Federer was broken only once — in the opening game of the Group A match after double-faulting on the first point — but he never looked dominating until late in the second set.

Soccer

Salt Lake claims MLS title

Seattle — Robbie Russell scored in the seventh round of penalty kicks, and underdog, overlooked Real Salt Lake beat the star-studded Los Angeles Galaxy, 5-4, on penalties Sunday night for its first Major League Soccer title.