At Bristol, he was running on the lead lap until a spin late-race forced him back to a 22nd-place finish. The Jimmie Johnson Foundation was launched by Johnson and his wife, Chandra, in 2006. He ended up 19th. A few days later in the Toyota 500 at the same track, Johnson bounced back with an eighth-place finish in the same track. In 2009, he became the first racing driver to win the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year Award in the United States. The following week at Talladega, Johnson spearheaded a pre-race ceremony in support of Bubba Wallace after it was falsely reported a noose was in his garage; before the race, Johnson texted his peers that he intended to stand with Wallace during the national anthem, with the drivers also pushing his car to the front of pit road. Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon are featured on the cover of NASCAR 06: Total Team Control, highlighting Team Control, the main addition of the game. Johnson finished 11th in the rain-shortened race at Texas, and 38th at Phoenix after being penalized a lap for passing the pace car coming down to pit road and involved in a wreck on a restart. [136] On top of that, his crew committed a penalty for too many crew members over the wall. Cameras followed him from January 2010 to the 52nd Daytona 500 held on February 14, 2010. "[15] Otherwise, in a rather uneventful season which featured one DNQ at Daytona and six Top 10's, he finished tenth in the point standings. In the 2009 season, Johnson recorded his fourth consecutive championship, becoming the only driver to win four back-to-back season titles. Following a 16th-place finish after the Kobalt Tools 400 he collected two consecutive Top 5 finishes. In the Food City 500 at Bristol, Johnson finished 23rd after making an unscheduled pit stop due to a loose lug nut on lap 300. Jimmie Johnson to Obtain Ownership Stake in Petty GMS UPDATE The win was also Rick Hendrick's 200th NASCAR Cup Series win. This is a life-changing opportunity for me, and one I had to take, Johnson, 47, said. 48 fails post-race inspection; Jimmie Johnson disqualified at Charlotte", "Starting lineup for Martinsville Cup race | NASCAR", "Stage results for Martinsville NASCAR Cup Series race | NASCAR", "Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano split stage wins at Martinsville", "How Jimmie Johnson and other NASCAR drivers came together in solidarity with Bubba Wallace at Talladega", "NASCAR at Talladega results: Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag, but Bubba Wallace won", "Johnson to miss Brickyard 400 due to COVID-19", "NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson can race again after he tests negative twice for COVID-19: 'It's been an emotional journey', "Brad Keselowski Says Jimmie Johnson Spin was Unavoidable", "Brad Keselowski spins Jimmie Johnson on late Kentucky restart | NASCAR", "Some Jimmie Johnson fans are wondering if the NASCAR driver is jinxed this season", "Jimmie Johnson, others caught in multi-car crash at Kansas | NASCAR", "Jimmie Johnson with up and down day in final Loudon race", "Jimmie Johnson gets paint scheme "reset" for rest of 2020 season", "What drivers said after Daytona road course race", "Final NASCAR playoff spot will likely come down to Jimmie Johnson vs. William Byron", "William Byron has narrow lead over Jimmie Johnson for final playoff spot", "William Byron wins at Daytona as teammate Jimmie Johnson misses playoffs in final season", "Chance at eighth championship escapes Jimmie Johnson | NASCAR", "Jimmie Johnson dressed like Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty before Southern 500 throwback race", "Hendrick Darlington throwbacks to honor Jimmie Johnson | NASCAR", "Lefty's dream: Jimmie Johnson's bond with young designer creates special No. [9], During his time in the SODA, SCORE, and MTEG series, he accumulated over 25 wins, 100 Top 3 finishes, six championships, and received Rookie of the Year honors in all three leagues.[10]. After retiring from full-time NASCAR competition, Johnson spent the past two season racing in IndyCar, including a full-time season last year that included his Indy 500 debut. Home, Nascar Racing, Jail. And is now a NASCAR team owner. [63] In the following event, the Samsung Mobile 500, Johnson finished second after leading much of the race before he was passed by Greg Biffle. He followed it up by finishing eighth in the first duel race. He also capitalized on Kenseth suffering from a poor-handling car. [59] Following a 17th-place finish in Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500, Johnson recorded four top-ten finishes,[59] including two consecutive wins from the pole position at Martinsville and Texas, which was his 60th win in the series, to take a seven-point lead over Brad Keselowski. Johnson opened up the Chase in a rough way. At Kansas, he led nine laps and finished third behind Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. is jimmie johnson related to junior johnson Ol' seven-time has returned to NASCAR after a humbling two years in IndyCar as part owner and sometimes driver at what's called Legacy Motor Club. At Las Vegas, Johnson crashed twice into the outside wall, leaving him with a 41st-place finish. Who had a bad race: A fuel pump problem parked Joey Gase on lap 156. Johnson's No. Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, made the move to IndyCar in 2020, signing with Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. 48 Chevrolet Impala is one of the twelve playable NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock cars in the 2010 racing video game Gran Turismo 5. One highlight of the season was when he saved the car from slamming into the wall when he spun out during qualifications at the first Dover race. He rebounded with an 11th-place finish in Phoenix and a ninth-place finish at California, his first Top 10 there in two years. At Pocono, Johnson cut a tire on lap 88 but did not take major damage. "Junior was wide open every lap," Richard Petty, Lee's son and NASCAR's first seven-time champion, says. What an exciting time for Petty GMS, said Petty, NASCARs all-time winningest driver with 200 Cup victories. [164] Johnson refused to run the ovals due to safety concerns of racing open-wheel cars on them but after both driving the cars and watching teammate Tony Kanaan run on ovals, he ultimately agreed to run an oval test at Texas to prep himself for the Indianapolis 500.[165]. Statistically, 2014 was one of Johnson's worst seasons to date. Running moonshine wasn't always easy, or legal . In 1993, Johnson was given the opportunity to drive for Herb Fishel. However, finishes of 37th and 32nd at Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas moved him toward the bottom of the point standings. [10][18][36], During the 2007 season, Johnson continued on a streak and recorded 10 wins, four poles, 20 Top 5's, and again 24 Top 10 finishes. Competing against him will certainly be a change, and a big challenge, but we welcome his return to NASCAR and look forward to the next chapter of a truly remarkable career.. Related sponsored items. By The Associated Press. Johnson began the 2012 season with a 14th-place finish in the Budweiser Shootout after crashing on lap 74. During 2010, Johnson won his fifth consecutive championship, becoming the third driver who made up points to win the title since 1975. 48 crew chief", "Jimmie Johnson on crew chief change: 'We have to act now', "Cliff Daniels named crew chief for Jimmie Johnson", "Johnson's anger with Blaney boils over: 'Everybody stay tuned', "Report: Blaney, Johnson make peace over beers at Michigan", "Jimmie Johnson comments on Indianapolis accident, missing playoffs", "Ally Financial extends full-season primary sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports", "Ally signs three-year, full-season sponsorship extension with Hendrick", "Jimmie Johnson announces that 2020 will be his final full-time Cup season", "Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR champion, to retire after 2020 season", "NASCAR NOTES: Jimmie Johnson runs well in final Auto Club Speedway race", "Johnson crashes from lead moments away from Stage 1 win", "No. Junior Johnson. Further announcements will surely be made in due time. 48 car after the 2018 season; Ally Financial assumed primary sponsorship of the team in 2019 on a two-year deal. He enjoyed a pair of top-ten finishes at Bristol and Atlanta. Heading into turn 3, the two race leaders Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne battled one another, allowing Johnson to close in and make a three-wide move to the inside. [49] During the last race of the regular season, the Wonderful Pistachios 400, Johnson finished in the 31st position. [214], Johnson has appeared on the cover of several magazines, including NASCAR Illustrated;[215] Sports Illustrated;[216][217] Men's Fitness,[218] and Success. [191] In 2019, he competed in the Boston Marathon, finishing with a time of 3:09:07 and 4,155th overall (3,746th among males and 641st in the Male 4044 class).[192]. Jimmie Johnson: Just a California Kid - Bleacher Report He charged through the field and finished seventh (1st car a lap down) and moved to the "Round of 12" of the Chase. "It was one of those deals. No products in the cart. 48 is also playable in Forza Motorsport 6, via the NASCAR expansion pack. But now he has formally announced a second. [40] Johnson later became the first racing driver to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year (in 2009). Following in the top five were Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch. Advertisement Besides his racing salary and winnings, Johnson has racked up millions from endorsement deals, having worked with such brands as Gatorade, Seiko Watch Corporation, Blue Bunny, and Chevrolet over the course of his career. Traffic was really tough. Throughout the year Johnson largely struggled in IndyCar, frequently running at the back of the field and struggling with spins and accidents. Smith was third, Kyle Busch fourth and Josh Berry fifth. His Top 10 finishes during the period came only in the Coca-Cola 600 and Brickyard 400, where he finished third in both races. In winning the race, Johnson became the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both Daytona races in a season. The first time was early in the race while running 16th coming out of turn 4 but he was lucky to avoid hitting anything. Lydia Johnson, 8, climbed aboard a Supercross-style dirt bike and hit a local track for the first time with her dad. Seeing Jimmie in a firesuit with his name on the roof of a Chevrolet at the DAYTONA 500 is going to be very special for a lot of people. Free shipping for many products! He called me one day and said, Ive been talking to Jimmie Johnson, and I said youve got to be kidding. Jimmy Johnson's Net worth. After earning his first Top 5 finish (third) since his Dover victory, fittingly in the fall Dover event, he advanced through the opening round and into the Round of 12. is an imprint of Abdo Zoom . Later during a caution on lap 362, he lost fuel pressure but was able to get the car refired and stayed on the lead lap again. 84 the reverse of his longtime No. Three years later, Johnson drove for Herzog Motorsports in the off-road truck series in 1996. The following week, Ken Squire sat down with the tri. For the next two races, Johnson finished 14th in each and finished 32nd in the Ford 400 to finish sixth in the Driver's championship standings.[49]. [222] His 2011 car was later added to the game in the Spec II update of the game, with his 2013 car also being featured in the 2013 sequel Gran Turismo 6. Sweet, four months earlier in June, had created a mock Jimmie Johnson scheme adorned with pride flag colors, which had led to an excess of harassment towards Sweet and led him to take a temporary break from social media. [210], On November 19, 2013, Johnson became the first professional athlete to co-host ESPN's flagship news show, SportsCenter. A few weeks later, Johnson recorded his first win at Michigan, after several years of being deprived of a shot at victory as the result of running out of gas or blowing an engine. Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Johnson's seven Cup championships, the first five of which are consecutive, are tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most all-time. Chad Knaus collected 82 NASCAR wins as a crew chief, 81 of them were with Jimmie Johnson. 1 pick in '22 MLS SuperDraft", "Las Vegas Episode Guide 2006 Season 3 Urban Legends, Episode 15", "HBO's 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona to Debut January 26", "Top Gear Thursday: Richard Hammond Says NASCAR Driving is 'Like Climbing into the Belly of a Dragon', "Jimmie Johnson becomes first athlete co-host for SportsCenter", "Jimmie Johnson visits a massage therapist on 'Repeat After Me', hijinx ensue", "NASCAR Champ Jimmie Johnson Gets Animated For Bubble Guppies", "Schwartz: NASCAR Drivers Lend Their Voices To Nickelodeon Show", "Jimmie Johnson To Be on Cover of Sports Illustrated", "Video! Logano, who ran 186.053 miles per hour, edged William Byron (185.153) for the first starting spot. Johnson said his new NASCAR deal escalated quickly after he entered into discussions with Gallagher over the past month. At the second stop in Pocono, Johnson, along with two of his Hendrick teammates, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr, took advantage of several cars running out of fuel to finish in the Top 6 (Gordon finished third, Dale Jr. took fourth, Johnson grabbed sixth). Johnson also had the best average finish in the Chase with 5.0. This locked him into the Championship 4 for the final race at Homestead. Bootlegging moonshine was essentially a hereditary trait for Junior Johnson, a Wilkesboro, North Carolina native. One year later, he returned with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing for his fifth Rolex 24 appearance. Next week in Las Vegas, he finished first in the final practice. However, his momentum returned at Texas when he held off Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win. Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR's Unlikely Prodigal Son, Returns at Daytona During the season, he scored two poles, 17 Top 5's, 23 Top 10's, and six wins. He started the chase with unfortunate mishaps in the first four races; a DNF at New Hampshire,[29] a pitting mistake at Dover,[30] a penalty at Kansas[31] (he led the most laps in the race), and, while trying to make a pass for first at Talladega, getting clipped and spinning out. Who had a good race: Hill, who has been strong on superspeedways, showed he also can succeed on mid-range tracks. [53], After returning to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400, Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. ran together for most of the race, like at Talladega, until Johnson pitted under a caution flag. Johnson finished the race in 28th, his worst finish of the season to that point. Johnson had a chance to win the championship coming into the November 20 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but finished fifth in points after crashing at the midway point of the event with a tire problem. Johnson scored only one more top-ten finish afterward and wound up a then career-worst 14th in the final point standings since running full-time in 2002, winless for the first time in his career along with equaling a career-low 11 Top 10 finishes for the second season in a row. At the end of the season, he had a total of 33 career wins, placing him 18th on the all-time wins list. Junior Johnson: Moonshine and NASCAR Legend - North Carolina Museum of He then finished 4th at Kansas and 23rd at Talladega. He tells David Malsher-Lopez why, while Ganassi managing director Mike . Its great to be back in NASCAR, Johnson said in a release. [89] Johnson's streak of misfortune continued the next several weeks, finishing 42nd for the second week in a row at New Hampshire. 2023 Infrastructure Junior Engineer Intern Job in Saint Paul, MN at In 2007, Johnson opened Jimmie Johnson's Victory Lanes in Randleman, North Carolina, which is a four-lane bowling alley for campers at Pattie and Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp. Jimmie Johnson Children: Meet Jimmie Johnson's Daughters - ABTC [187] Johnson lives in Charlotte, North Carolina[3] like many other NASCAR drivers. 84. Johnson started racing motorcycles in 1980 when he was four. Jimmie Johnson Quotes - BrainyQuote At Talladega, Johnson started second and led a high of 84 laps. Johnson finished second in the 600 but was disqualified after his car failed post-race technical inspection. He finished fifth in the final point standings. No one else will be able to say they have two seven-time Cup champions on their team. This snapped a 663-race streak in which Johnson started a Cup event. Johnson became the first rookie driver to lead the point standings and to win twice at the same track during a season, by sweeping both races at Dover. [79] In the Daytona 500, Johnson started well, assuming the lead from Jeff Gordon on lap 32 and leading a handful of laps before falling back to the middle of the pack. He finished 12th at Martinsville, but was followed by a disappointing 27th-place result at Texas. The opportunity was made available when he connected with Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon during the 2000 Busch season; with Herzog facing shutdown due to sponsorship issues, Johnson approached Gordon and was informed of the team's intention to field a fourth car for him. So Im very excited about this.. [49] During the Bank of America 500, Johnson was involved in a crash and finished 34th. Johnson made his NASCAR Busch Series (now NASCAR Xfinity Series) debut at the 1998 Indianapolis Raceway Park event, where he finished 25th for ST Motorsports. Erika Johnson (born 1982), American actor. [107] Johnson finished 10th in the final standings, his 15th and final Top 10 finish in the points standings. American football coaching legend, Jimmy Johnson, has a net worth of $40 million. [169], Johnson first raced in the Race of Champions in Europe in 2002. He then held off a last-lap charge from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin to win his second Daytona 500. Following in the top five were Allgaier, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith and Riley Herbst. In The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington, the first race back after the delay forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson was leading in the final lap of the first stage when he lost control of his car and crashed after contact with Chris Buescher who was a lap down at the time. At Bristol, he avoided tight trouble early in the race and came home second to polesitter Matt Kenseth. After running up to the lead through pit stop strategy, Johnson lost an engine on lap 55, relegating him to a 40th-place finish. Johnson now became the only driver to win at least three races in each of his first eight seasons, as well as the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the Championship every year since 2004. [87] Afterward, he went on to win at Dover the following week, making it the 13th time he had back-to-back wins.[88]. He was starting over at 44 when he made his first IndyCar debut in April 2021 at Barber Motorsports Park. In 2000, he switched to the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). And, about 150 years later, Junior's family kept the tradition going in order to survive. Even the biggest names in motorsports, however, can need some help sometimes. At Dover, Johnson led 90 laps but once again received a pit road penalty with 105 laps to go, costing him a win. He returned to the team in 2010, to race in the Rolex 24 and Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen. [61] Next, Johnson finished tenth in the Auto Club 400, despite having an oil leak,[62] but the rain saved Johnson from a low finish. That goal faded as he became one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time,. By 2006, he won his first championship. I swam in high school. [18][185][194], In 2014, Johnson joined the Ban Bossy campaign, as a spokesperson advocating leadership in young girls.[195][196][197][198]. Johnson finished fifth at Phoenix, and for the third year in a row, he finished ninth at Homestead. [57] During the Daytona 500, Johnson was involved in a crash on lap 2 when he turned into the wall after contact from Elliott Sadler, then was t-boned by David Ragan, also collecting Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch and Trevor Bayne. He made his 120 million dollar fortune with Daytona 500, NASCAR Cup Series. This marked Johnson's first appearance in the "Round of 8" under the current Chase system. [67] Next, in the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson finished 11th in the race after a penalty on lap 354. Midnight Moon Moonshine Inspired by Junior Johnson | Jr Johnson Legacy He followed this with a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas. The foundation helps children, families, and communities in need. Why is Jimmie Johnson back at Daytona? He's still building his legacy In the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Johnson recorded a ninth-place finish after moving through the field after qualifying 24th. This has got to be one of the biggest things that has happened to the Petty crowd and GMS. 7-time NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson acquires ownership stake in Petty Since then, Johnson struggled throughout the 2018 season with only two Top 5s and eight Top 10 finishes by the time he barely made the Playoffs for the 15th season in a row. 48 Lowe's SS. I felt like I had a little bit more in me and if we could tune the car a little maybe there is a little more there and maybe a little more with the track temp going down. is jimmie johnson related to junior johnson. With Kenseth finishing 23rd, Johnson took a 28-point lead to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Over the last few laps, Johnson was racing alongside Brad Keselowski for the lead until a caution came out for debris. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series, doing so for 20 seasons (19 as a full-time driver). The deal was official on Nov. 22, 1995. Johnson will be teamed with Petty GMS full-time drivers: Jones (who delivered the teams first win at the Southern 500) and incoming rookie Noah Gragson. We felt like we had a pretty good first round, but there are a lot of cars that went quicker in the second round as the track was still cleaning up from practice and the temp actually went down a little bit, Logano said. A two-time Daytona 500 champion, Johnson is one of only three drivers to win seven NASCAR Cup championships in the sport's history, along with the late Dale Earnhardt and stock-car. Smith had dominated most of the race prior to the closing laps, leading 118 laps. [10][18][19], Johnson began racing full-time in the Winston Cup Series during the 2002 season. He donated $17,000 to build a new playground", "Sheryl Sandberg and Anna Maria Chvez on 'Bossy,' the Other B-word", "Beyonce, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch join 'Ban Bossy" campaign. [65], Johnson won his first race of the season one week later in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington. In the following race, Johnson finished second. He closed out the season with six wins, three poles, 16 Top 5's, and 24 Top 10's, with an average finish of 9.8 and an average start of 10.7. Junior Johnson: Last American Hero 50 years later | NASCAR.com RELATED:These 10 Whopping Homes & Cars Of Celebrities Look Amazing! AVONDALE, Ariz. Jimmie Johnson relished the chance to get back into a NASCAR Cup Series car even if it likely won't help him much when he attempts to qualify for the . Junior Johnson | Biography, NASCAR, & Facts | Britannica At Chicagoland, he blew a left front tire early in the race but was able to charge through the field to salvage an 11th-place finish. Johnson inadvertently stirred up the lighthearted tempest when he posted a photo of his pleated new uniform last Friday, drawing playful derisive comments from Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch (all of whom prefer NASCAR's baggier style). Anyone that saw Johnson behind the wheel knew what to expect. In 2004, following the plane crash that killed the son of Rick Hendrick, Ricky, along with nine others, the tail number of the Hendrick plane that crashed was added alongside Alexander's initials. Jimmie Johnson @JimmieJohnson . Jimmie Johnson is returning to NASCAR on a part-time basis, including in this weekend's Daytona 500. At the end of the season, Johnson finished second in the point standings. 1 (lap 2628): Speeding through pit road) Johnson rallied to finish 10th. [69] In the Pocono 400, he recorded a fourth-place finish after starting 24th on the grid. The second time I did and moved him out of the way.[44]. Elliott Johnson (born 1975), American artist and designer. My experience and energy will add value to a team with young drivers like Erik and Noah I feel like I can be a good resource both on and off the track.. Jimmie Johnson's net worth is $160 million, out of which he has won over $150 million through just race wins. The next week at Texas, Johnson was again one of the fastest cars, putting up a Top 10 lap before getting loose and hitting the wall in stage 2. He made . [79] Afterward, he placed fourth in the first Budweiser Duel, resulting in a ninth-place starting position in the 2013 Daytona 500. Every year, it holds a golf tournament in San Diego,[193] which raises money for K-12 public education. [166] During his first oval race in the series, the XPEL 375 at Texas, Johnson finished a then career-best sixth. In total, Johnson had four consecutive wins at his sponsor (Lowe's) sponsored track in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jimmie Johnson is all smiles after a P1 run in Cup Series practice at Daytona and discusses the learning curve that comes with a new team. After the season, he also moved to third on the active winners' list.[18][43]. Jimmie Johnson was raised in a small town by the name of El. Through Johnson's 19 full-time season at NASCAR's highest level, he racked up 83 wins in 686 starts, including two Daytona 500 wins (2006, 2013), in addition to his record-tying seven . He spun out on lap 134 in turn 4, bringing out the seventh caution, and was never a real threat. In 2018, Johnson received the fourth-annual Byrnsie Award, named after the late Fox NASCAR broadcaster Steve Byrnes, during FS1's RaceDay prior to the running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.[205]. He eventually climbed out of the car unscathed and raised his fists in the air like he had won the race. He had to swerve quickly to the right to avoid the No. [13] He continued his limited slate in 1999 with Herzog Motorsports before moving to a full-time schedule in 2000. The team finished 28th in overall ranking. How Jimmie Johnson Became One of NASCAR's Wealthiest Drivers - FanBuzz This marks the first time in Johnson's NASCAR Cup career that he has finished outside of the Top 10 in the final points. The pairing of two of NASCARs three seven-time Cup Series champions was announced Friday morning at Phoenix Raceway. In the Daytona 500, Johnson ran up front most of the race, but when he came to pit road with around 40 to go, B. J. McLeod and Cody Ware's cars spun behind him and hit him in the left rear. [83] This was a significant improvement in Johnson's runs on the restrictor plate tracks, as he had been crashed out of the running at both Daytona races in 2012, had an engine failure early while leading at Talladega in the spring and was part of a crash on the last lap in the fall. He moved to the national American Speed Association (ASA) series for late model touring cars, and won another rookie of the year title. In the race, Johnson passed seven cars in the first four laps and reached the Top 20 by lap 50, while reaching the top ten by lap 165; Johnson finished sixth. By just about every metric, Jimmie Johnson is one of NASCAR's . On the last lap, with Johnson in front, he and Earnhardt Jr. were in fifth and sixth off of turn 4, behind two other pairs of cars their Hendrick teammates Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin, and the Richard Childress drafting pair of Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. Johnson said that driving an IndyCar was a "childhood dream" of his. Published: Jan. 11, 2023 at 6:49 PM PST. He became NASCARs third seven-time Cup Series champion in 2016, joining Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt. Hill and Justin Allgaier gained steadily on Smith over the final 10 laps and eliminated Smiths 2.5-second lead. Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, also won the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. In the race, his wife and children waved the green flag at the start of the race.