Jimmie Johnson playing the role of Chase championship spoiler

Having won five straight titles from 2006-10, a sixth in 2013 and in serious contention in 2004, ‘05 and ‘12, November is usually the time of the year when Jimmie Johnson finds himself in the thick of NASCAR’s championship battle.

Except for the second consecutive year, Johnson once again was a surprise early elimination in the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff. A year ago he was knocked out in Round 2, while this season a broken axle in the first-round elimination race at Dover International Speedway ended his quest for a record-tying seventh championship.

But as he did in 2014, Johnson has found himself cast in the unfamiliar role of playoff spoiler. That role he played Sunday when he won at Texas Motor Speedway and denied Brad Keselowski, who dominated by leading 312 of 334 laps, a victory he needed to remain in the Chase himself.

Not that Johnson gets any satisfaction out of depriving another of a win they needed to maintain playoff eligibility.

“I’m not happy I kept somebody from advancing,” Johnson said. “I just don’t think along those lines. Happy I beat the dominant car -- that definitely was in my mind.”

Sunday was Johnson’s fifth win of 2015 and first since late May at Dover, a pronounced dry spell for a driver accustomed to reaching Victory Lane with regularity. A new aerodynamic rules package introduced before the season that included a significant horsepower reduction was one of the main culprits why the No. 48 team lagged crew chief Chad Knaus said.

And even when Johnson was winning during the early part of the season, the victories weren’t because of outright performance but more so via Knaus’ superior pit strategy. The lack of speed became apparent during a 12-race summer stretch where Johnson failed to lead a single lap and notched just one top-five finish.

“Let’s be honest: We did it to ourselves,” Knaus said. “I don’t want to say we slacked, but we stunk up the summer 100 percent. It was horrible, pathetic.”

Already priming for a run at another championship, Knaus is confident there will be no need to act as a playoff spoiler in 2016. Confidence was further buoyed by NASCAR going to a low-downforce aerodynamic rules package for next season that is more conducive to Johnson’s driving style -- he prefers a looser handling car that emphasizes a driver’s ability.

“I think coming into 2016 it’s going to be right where we need to be, especially with these new rules,” Knaus said. “I can’t wait.”

Johnson is a little more pragmatic, recognizing one race where he led a mere six laps doesn’t necessarily signify a return to his customary dominance.

“We’re getting there,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, we still have a ways to go. The win is important. I think we were a top-five car, a top-three car all day. Then circumstances at the end got us the win. We want to be back to being the dominant car and we still have some work to get there.”