Jimmie Johnson wasn’t leading in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings entering the final race of the year at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. The important thing, however, is the fact that he was leading at the end of the race. Johnson took second in the event which pushed him past Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin for his 5th consecutive Sprint Cup championship. He becomes the first driver to win the title after trailing before the final race since the new championship format was put into place seven years ago. Even before NASCAR implemented the ‘Chase’ format making up a deficit in the final race was a rare occurrence—it’s only been done three times in history and not since Richard Petty turned the feat in 1975.