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Jimmie Johnson

Encyclopedia : J : JI : JIM : Jimmie Johnson

For the former NFL coach and current television broadcaster, see Jimmy Johnson (football coach). For the Hall of Fame football player, see Jimmy Johnson (football player).
 Jimmie Johnson
Born: September 17, 1975
Birthplace: El Cajon, California
Awards: 2006 Daytona 500 Winner

1998 ASA Rookie of the Year

off-road championships in SODA, SCORE International and MTEG

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Statistics
Car #, Team 48 - Hendrick Motorsports
2005 in NASCAR>2005 NEXTEL Cup Position: 5th
Best Cup Position: 2nd - 2003 , 2004
First Race: 2001 UAW-GM Quality 500 (Charlotte)
First Win: 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 (Fontana)
Last Win: 2006 Aaron's 499 (Talladega)
Wins Top Tens Poles
21 101 9
All stats current as of July 16, 2006.

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson was born on September 17, 1975 in El Cajon, California and is a current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race car driver who currently drives the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS owned by teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Rick Hendrick's Hendrick Motorsports. He has never finished below fifth in the final NEXTEL Cup points standings and finished second twice (in 2003 and 2004). Since his rookie season Johnson ranks second among all active drivers with an average of 4.5 wins a season (behind Jeff Gordon's 5.6) and second in average top 10 finishes a season with 21.25 (behind Tony Stewart's 21.28). Johnson also won the 2006 Daytona 500 and is the only driver to win three Coca-Cola 600s in a row.

Contents

Racing prior to NEXTEL Cup

Jimmie Johnson began his racing career in several off-road leagues including SODA, SCORE International and MTEG (Mickey Thompson Series). He accumulated over 25 wins, 100 top-three finishes, six championships, and received Rookie of the Year honors in all three leagues. Johnson raced with Herzog Motorsports in the 1996 and 1997 SODA series. Johnson was a field reporter for ESPN in the SODA series.

Jimmie Johnson qualifying at California Speedway
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Jimmie Johnson qualifying at California Speedway

In 1998, Johnson joined the American Speed Association (ASA) circuit, finishing fourth in the season while picking up Rookie of the Year honors. During this time, Johnson also began racing in the NASCAR Busch Series, driving in three events. In 1999, Johnson continued to run in both the ASA and the Busch Series, winning twice and finishing third in the ASA point race. By 2000, Johnson became a Busch Series driver with Herzog Motorsports, finished 10th in the points standings and third in the Rookie of the Year standings. He won his only Busch Series race in 2001 at the Hills Brothers Coffee 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in his 81 series events.

NEXTEL Cup

2002 Season

In 2002 Johnson joined the NEXTEL Cup series. Johnson won three times and became the first rookie in series history to ever lead the point standings (he eventually finished fifth overall). Johnson's first Winston Cup win was at his home region of California Speedway. He won both races at the Dover International Speedway, the first time a rookie had ever swept a track's two races. He was eventually runner-up to Ryan Newman for NASCAR Rookie of the Year because Newman's 15 best finishes were better than Johnson's 15 best finishes. Johnson outpaced Newman in the final championship standings overall.

2002 Statistics

Wins

2003 Season

For the 2003 campaign, Johnson had three victories, 14 top-five finishes and 20 top-ten finishes. He finished the season second in the points standings to Matt Kenseth.

Johnson got his first win at Lowe's Motor Speedway at the time. He won in back to back weekends at the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge and the Coca-Cola 600. The All-Star Challenge was a non-points event.

2003 Statistics

Wins

2004 Season

In 2004, Johnson started slowly in weeks two and three at Rockingham and Las Vegas. However, he quickly rebounded with a week five win at the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway. Subsequent victories at the Coca-Cola 600 and the Pocono 500 helped solidify his place in the Chase for the Cup towards the end of the regular season. However, poor finishes at Talladega (37th) and Kansas (32nd) nearly sank his chances to win the Nextel Cup. Four subsequent victories put him 18 points behind leader Kurt Busch going into the final race. The second victory at the Subway 500 in Martinsville, Virginia on October 24, 2004, was marred by tragedy. Owner Rick Hendrick's son (Ricky Hendrick), nieces and brother were killed in an airplane crash on route to the race. All eight passengers and both pilots died in the incident, and Johnson was told after claiming the winner's grandfather clock. Johnson passed Mark Martin with six laps to go the next week in Atlanta Motor Speedway. Johnson won under the lights at Darlington in the Mountain Dew Southern 500, and became the first driver since Jeff Gordon to win two legs of NASCAR's Grand Slam in a season.

He eventually finished second in the Nextel Cup, losing to Kurt Busch by 8 points.

2004 Statistics

Wins

2005 Season

In 2005, Johnson stayed in the top five in the points standings all year, winning at Las Vegas, Lowes Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, and again at Lowes Motor Speedway. Johnson now has four straight wins at his sponsor, Lowes, sponsored track in Charlotte, North Carolina, and became only the second driver to win three consecutive races in one of NASCAR's majors. (owner Jeff Gordon won four consecutive Southern 500 titles from 1995-1998, but that leg of the Grand Slam was eliminated in the Ferko lawsuit.) Johnson had a chance to win the championship coming into the November 20 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but finished 5th in points after crashing in the midway point of the event with a tire problem. Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and Mark Martin all finished ahead of the #48 Chevrolet.

2005 Statistics

Wins

2006 Season

The 2006 season started with crew chief Chad Knaus being suspended until Bristol in late March. Hendrick engineer Darian Grubb was named temporary crew chief. Johnson won his first Daytona 500. He win was the second consecutive win at the Daytona 500 for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson finished second at the next race at California Speedway and then beat Matt Kenseth by half a car length with a pass on the final turn on the caution-extended UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Johnson finished off his Career Grand Slam by winning the Aaron's 499 at Talladega by passing teammate Brian Vickers at the start of the final lap. He won the final segment and million dollar bonus in the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge.

Current 2006 Statistics

Wins

Hendrick Motorsports

Jimmie Johnson's car is operated by Hendrick Motorsports, a powerhouse in NASCAR throughout the 1990's and continuing today. His crew chief is Chad Knaus, who is in charge of working on the car on the day-to-day basis, and is in charge of everything that happens with the Lowe's #48 Team at the track.

Other Recent Events

Johnson has also participated in some more-recent off-road events, including a winning drive with Team USA at the 2002 Race of Champions. Johnson appeared at the event again in 2004.

External links

 

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