"Far more people are going to be involved in this process than when it was initially birthed. That's my style of leadership," Johnson said.

This year, the increasing intensity of the battle for the NASCAR playoffs takes center stage in Second City, as only four open spots for non-winners now remain on the playoff grid. One such spot was filled last week, when local hero Chase Elliott won in Atlanta to stamp his place in the playoffs and clear the way for his run at a second Cup title.

SVG conquered the streets of Chicago once again, tempers flared between several drivers, and NASCAR made some questionable calls in race control