LEGEND PROFILE NASCAR LEGEND
Johnson Built an Incredible Career
Jimmie Johnson excelled throughout a 20-year NASCAR Cup Series career that included 83 victories. He also joined Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt as the series’ only seven-time champions.
BY BEN WHITE
Born Sept. 17, 1975, in El Cajon, California., Johnson began racing motorcycles when he was 5 years old. Offroad racing followed and led to a chance meeting with Herb Fishel, head of motorsports at General Motors during the early 1990s. Johnson’s short-track success opened the door for him to eventually drive for Cup Series team owner Rick Hendrick. Johnson began racing in the American Speed Association series in 1998, having made only six starts in a full-bodied race car before taking on his new role. He was fourth in points by season’s end and was crowned rookie of the year. From there, the aspiring star joined the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In 2000, Johnson raced the full Xfinity Series for Herzog Motorsports, finishing 10th in points. He notched his first and only Xfinity Series victory in 2001 at Chicagoland Speedway. That same season, Johnson joined Hendrick Motorsports for three Cup Series races after becoming friends with four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon. Johnson was then paired with crew chief Chad Knaus and they developed a magical chemistry for success. Starting in 2002, their on-track success established Johnson as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. He retired from Cup Series competition in 2020.
My bucket is full. NASCAR has been so wonderful for me. This journey has been more than I could have ever dreamed of or expected or hoped for.”
–JIMMIE JOHNSON
BEST SEASON DURING THE 2007 SEASON, JOHNSON LOGGED 10 victories with six coming on superspeedways and four on short tracks, including four in a row near season’s end. His second Cup Series championship season also featured 24 top-10 finishes in 36 starts. He held the championship point lead through the final three races. RECORD SETTER JOHNSON WILL BE BEST KNOWN FOR COLLECTING seven NASCAR Cup Series championships while competing under several different championship point systems. Even though he didn’t make the playoffs in his final season (2020), he will be remembered as one of the sport’s most talented racers in its most competitive era.
KNOWN FOR THROUGHOUT 20 YEARS OF CUP SERIES RACING, Johnson was known as a smooth driver who rarely became agitated in the heat of battle. His ability to perform quietly under extreme pressure gave the impression of having a soft nature. Still, success through seven championships and 83 Cup Series victories tells his story.
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POLE POSITION 2021
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
