Jimmy Johnson is married to Chandra Janway, they have known each other since 2002. Jimmie Johnson said a few prayers when he wrecked late in his Indianapolis 500 debut with his teammate in the lead. [18][185][194], In 2014, Johnson joined the Ban Bossy campaign, as a spokesperson advocating leadership in young girls.[195][196][197][198]. [182][183] He has two younger brothers, Jarit and Jessie. At Kansas, he led nine laps and finished third behind Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. You add those things up in your mind, and you think you will be pretty close. [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. 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. This year weve accomplished so much together with Maury and now adding Jimmie will only continue to help us grow. 84 Part-Time in 2023", "Jimmie Johnson, Travis Pastrana seal Daytona 500 berths", https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1627453377536991234, "Arrow McLaren SP still interested in Jimmie Johnson despite Ganassi test", "Jimmie Johnson is first NASCAR driver to test positive for coronavirus", "NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson to Drive an IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway", "NASCAR champ Johnson enamored with IndyCar after test", "NASCAR Legend Johnson Exceeds All Expectations Including His Own in First INDYCAR Test at IMS", "Jimmie Johnson says he wants to do IndyCar 'more than ever' after test", "Jimmie Johnson's IndyCar run impresses Ganassi, Scott Dixon", "Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will race in IndyCar in 2021 and 2022", "Chip Ganassi sells entire NASCAR team to Trackhouse Racing", "Jimmie Johnson returning to NASCAR? Afterward, he was able to win the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. 271. At Martinsville, Johnson started seventh but finished 39th after being involved in a crash early in the race. you had to really paint the line between 3 and 4.. This has got to be one of the biggest things that has happened to the Petty crowd and GMS. Johnson's streak of misfortune continued through the next several months, crashing out at Dover, Pocono, Daytona, Kentucky and at Watkins Glen, where he finished last for the first time in his career. Having a driver, the caliber of Jimmie, driving our equipment and being able to provide feedback to our crew chiefs and engineers but most importantly, mentoring Erik and Noah will be invaluable. This was Johnson's record-holding 11th win at Dover and 83rd career victory, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer, Cale Yarborough. Maury and I connected, this opportunity came to light and its the perfect fit for me. Johnson entered the 2006 Race of Champions but did not start due to injury received just days before the race. 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 rebounded at Bristol by finishing 4th but had bad luck once more at Darlington. I know I speak for all the Petty GMS team members, including Richard Petty, in welcoming Jimmie to the team. [75] Johnson was able to hold off Keselowski's hard racing, which even prompted Tony Stewart to say that he was driving with a "death wish". The contact ripped off the left rear quarter-panel. Feedback on our suggestions. Moonshiners put more time, energy, thought, and love into their cars than any racer ever will. Despite the poor finishes, Johnson qualified fourth for the Chase. [49] Two weeks later, Johnson found himself finishing 19th during the Brickyard 400 after coming to pit road with 30 laps remaining in the event. 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. He was able to redeem himself for this mistake the following week at Pocono by earning the pole position, leading the most laps, and winning his third race of the season, which increased his point lead to 51 points over Edwards. 1 on Forbes.com's list of "Most Influential Athletes" for two consecutive years (2011, 2012). 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. 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. 48 car after the 2018 season; Ally Financial assumed primary sponsorship of the team in 2019 on a two-year deal. [125] He bounced back with an 11th-place run in Charlotte's next race Alsco Uniforms 500. On October 4, 2019, Ally extended its sponsorship of the No. 48 team. Johnson also owns a part in a Chevy dealership in San Diego. At Bristol, he avoided tight trouble early in the race and came home second to polesitter Matt Kenseth. With this race being the 18th of 36 points races on the 2023 schedule, Johnson will likely make some starts between the Daytona 500 and this race. He became the only driver to record three wins in each of their first seven seasons. Evan Malbone Johnson (1791-1865), American priest and religious writer. Bootlegging moonshine was essentially a hereditary trait for Junior Johnson, a Wilkesboro, North Carolina native. By 2006, he won his first championship. Joey Logano turned a lap at 186.053 miles per hour Saturday to win the pole position for Sundays Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Early life and race career. This title focuses on Jimmie Johnson and gives information related to his early life, his time racing in NASCAR, and the legacy he leaves behind. [139], Prior to the Go Bowling 235 at the Daytona road course, the No. At Dover, Johnson led 243 laps and held off Dale Earnhardt Jr. over the last 25 laps to win his eighth race at the track, also redeeming himself for the restart line violation that had cost him a shot at winning the June race.[86]. "From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit." If Im going to commit to something like this, I want to make a difference and have something tangible to show for it when its all said and done. After finishing in the top ten at Sonoma and Kentucky, Johnson was collected in an early wreck in the Coke Zero 400, finishing 42nd. [71] Afterward, Johnson finished sixth after winning his first pole position of the season in the Quaker State 400. Hill and Justin Allgaier gained steadily on Smith over the final 10 laps and eliminated Smiths 2.5-second lead. Johnson Brothers is a national family-owned wine, spirits and beer distributor. [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. At the end of the season, Johnson finished second in the point standings. In a few weeks, Ally president Andreas Brimmer and Jimmie Johnson would tell Sweet on a video call that he would have his chance to get his design on Johnson's car. [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. [151][152], On January 11, 2023, the team was rebranded under the name Legacy Motor Club, with Johnson announced to be running the No. 9 Chevrolet, qualified 32nd for what will be his third Cup Series race. He also reported for ESPN in the Short-course Off-road Drivers Association (SODA). Smith, who was after his first Xfinity win, said his car got tight at the end of the race. [82] Johnson then finished ninth at Sonoma. Johnson has long been attempting to narrow down the list of races in which he wants to compete throughout the year. 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. Following a 16th-place finish after the Kobalt Tools 400 he collected two consecutive Top 5 finishes. With the retirement of his teammate and mentor, Jeff Gordon, Johnson assumed the active wins record with 75. [5] He also won the season's third event at Antigo before finishing second to Gaughan at Antigo's second race. [224], Johnson, along with teammates Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and William Byron, were featured on the cover of NASCAR Heat 3. [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]. Austin Hill took the lead with one lap to go and won Saturdays 300-mile Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. [132] His first race back was the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky, a track at which he had never won before. Subsequent victories in the Coca-Cola 600, the Pocono 500, and the Pennsylvania 500 came in the middle of the season, seeing Johnson sweep the Pocono races. 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. This was followed by a streak of three poor finishes of 36th at Bristol, 28th at Atlanta, and 40th at Richmond due to crashes and mechanical failures. Many crashes throughout the season brought down his otherwise promising year. He was able to work his way through the field to finish in third place. He has said that he currently has 12 or 14 races on a list that he would like to narrow down to between five and 10. In the finale, Johnson raced conservatively to a ninth-place finish to secure his sixth title. At the Advance Auto Parts Clash, he was wrecked on the last lap by Kyle Larson; this was the seventh year in a row he failed to finish the Clash. Johnson then finished 11th at Richmond. [21], During 2003, Johnson finished ninth on the all-time list for consecutive weeks ranked in the Top 10 in points with 69. 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. He led 43 of the first 80 laps before he cut a right-front tire that knocked a spark plug loose and affected the handling of the car. Said Gallagher: I couldnt be happier to have Jimmie Johnson joining Petty GMS. Jimmie Johnson already knows that he won't win an eighth NASCAR Cup Series championship this year. [81] One week later, Johnson finished 22nd after spinning sideways late in the race. [68] After the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson went on to win his second race of the season in the FedEx 400. On November 26, 2018, Johnson participated in a motorsports cultural exchange with two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso at Bahrain International Circuit, where both drivers compared their respective race cars. 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. Legacy Motor Club replaces Petty GMS, the name the two . That victory also marked the 75th of his NASCAR Cup Series career, putting him one race win short of tying Dale Earnhardt's career wins. NASCAR fans are very knowledgeable and very passionate. 48. Johnson will also drive in select races for the team. Junior Johnson. The following week at Phoenix, Johnson started inside the Top 10 and finished second behind Carl Edwards. [4] That year, Johnson won both races at Lake Geneva Raceway's first race weekend in May. [225], Johnson was also featured in Ally Racer, a mobile game created to honor his final season by Ally Financial. At the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan, Johnson closed in on Greg Biffle for the lead with less than 10 laps left, but suffered a flat tire with less than five laps to go. Fans expecting to see him in the No . 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. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), NASCAR Xfinity results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Austin Hill wins NASCAR Xfinity race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Cup starting lineup: Joey Logano wins pole, Joey Logano wins pole for NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas, who delivered the teams first win at the Southern 500, MORE: Chase Elliott expected to miss several weeks, MORE: Las Vegas start time, weather forecast, TV information, Elliott suffered a leg injury in a Friday snowboarding accident. His Trophy Truck, Butch (the paint scheme of which was used for a throwback for Johnson's 48 car in the 2019 Southern 500, and the car that was used by Larry Ragland in wins such as the 1991 Baja 1000), was wrecked. [94] One week later, Johnson finished fourth in the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway despite suffering minor damage during a 13-car accident that occurred within 50 laps of the finish.[95]. His wins in 2010 included Auto Club, Las Vegas, where he passed Jeff Gordon with 16 laps to go for the lead, Bristol, Sonoma, his first and only road course win, New Hampshire, and Dover. Johnson admitted that seeing teammate Alex Palou walk away from a 220mph shunt during practice for the Indianapolis 500 has played a part in helping ease his safety concerns, as has the. [189][190], Johnson is a triathlete, regularly participating in triathlons and long-distance running; the Jimmie Johnson Foundation's Wellness Challenge also hosts triathlons. Hill, winner of the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, has visited Victory Lane in two of the schedules first three races. He also won at Las Vegas,[10] Auto Club, Texas, and Phoenix. [107] Johnson finished 10th in the final standings, his 15th and final Top 10 finish in the points standings. 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 . When he sets his mind to something, the level of commitment and work ethic he brings is unsurpassed. So, this opportunity with Petty GMS is all of that and much more., Johnsons most recent NASCAR start was the 2020 season finale at Phoenix. One year later, he returned with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing for his fifth Rolex 24 appearance. After the restart, he took the lead from Hamlin and led the final 92 laps to win the Goody's Fast Relief 500. When Johnson made the decision to retire from full-time NASCAR after the 2020 season and switch to IndyCar in 2021, he knew he had to lower expectations. [49] One week later in the 2011 Daytona 500, he started 23rd, but finished 27th after being involved in a crash on lap 29. [124] It marked his 100th race in a row without a win. Chase Elliott 2020 #9 NAPA Darlington Throwback 1/24 Camaro Lionel ACTION. [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 was able to earn $18 million between June 2018 and June 2019, making him the highest-paid NASCAR driver in the world. That was the mindset, and Paul (crew chief Paul Wolfe) gave me a car that could do that. Logano, who ran 186.053 miles per hour, edged William Byron (185.153) for the first starting spot. I swam in high school. [49] Three weeks later, in the Heluva Good! At Sebring, his team finished third but they were moved to the rear of DPi classification for violating drive time rules after Pagenaud was found to have driven more than the maximum 4 hours within a 6-hour time period. However, finishes of 37th and 32nd at Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas moved him toward the bottom of the point standings. Smith took third, followed by Kyle Busch and Josh Berry. It's deep in his roots and it flows in his blood. In the week following his Dover triumph, during the Axalta presents the Pocono 400, Johnson's brakes failed into turn 1 at a speed of over 200 MPH, resulting in a tremendous impact with the outside SAFER barrier. [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. Johnson is also a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, winning in 2006 and 2013. This marked his fourth consecutive win in the fall race, and third consecutive win on that track, having also won the spring race. Jimmie Johnson will have one more season in NASCAR. [72] However, in the Coke Zero 400, Johnson finished 36th[59] after retiring from a crash on lap 124. [87] Afterward, he went on to win at Dover the following week, making it the 13th time he had back-to-back wins.[88]. Johnson was close friends with NASCAR competitor Blaise Alexander. He won the Coca-Cola 600 that year, which broke the record for the most yellow flags in a Cup Series race, by beating Bobby Labonte by .027 seconds. ", "Gordon, Johnson finish in top ten at Sonoma", "Earnhardt, Johnson: no hard feelings after Daytona", "Gordon finishes second, teammates in top 19 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway", "Busch stands his ground and grabs third at Pocono", "Jimmie Johnson 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results", "2012 Official Driver Standings: Food City 500", "Johnson ninth, Earnhardt 15th at Bristol", "Jimmie Johnson gets big break with California rain", "Newman wins at Martinsville after leaders crash", "CUP: Biffle Makes Late Charge To Victory", "At long last! Johnson made his Indianapolis 500 debut later in the year. He returned to the team in 2010, to race in the Rolex 24 and Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen. He spun out on lap 134 in turn 4, bringing out the seventh caution, and was never a real threat. I looked at my dash, because I had water temp flash hot I looked down and then back up to go in the corner, and as soon as I turned in, it was really sideways. The results were mixed. Johnson won his first Cup Series championship in 2006 and with further wins in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, he became the first and only driver in NASCAR history[1] to win five consecutive championships. Basically, I was selling the team to Lowe's, which was fine with me. [64] Afterward, he recorded a third-place finish in the STP 400 at Kansas on April 22, 2012, and a sixth-place finish in the Capital City 400 at Richmond one week later. He became the 12th driver to win 50+ NASCAR races when he won at Bristol in March and went up to 10th on the all-time wins list. France was referring to an Esquire piece about Johnson that labeled him as an American hero. [130], On July 3, 2020, two days before the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, Johnson announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing him to miss the race and Justin Allgaier to take over the No. One of those included Phoenix in which he won on low fuel and high tire wear after crew chief Chad Knaus decided to stay out late in the race. Its great to be back in NASCAR, Johnson said in a release. Sweet, whose favorite driver throughout his life had been Johnson, said Im going to remember it for the rest of my life. He enjoyed a pair of top-ten finishes at Bristol and Atlanta. Jimmie Johnson wants to be involved with us, and well be involved with him? The deal left open the possibility of running select NASCAR Cup Series events in conjunction, as Ganassi fielded two cars in NASCAR and could've added a part-time car for Johnson, staying under the four-car maximum for Cup teams. 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.. Although the three bubble drivers avoided a late wreck in the final stage, Johnson was collected in "The Big One" with two laps remaining. He was able to recover a bit for a ninth-place finish at Richmond and started 1st in the Chase in a three-way tie between him, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth. He won three races (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and both New Hampshire races), two poles (at Kansas Speedway and Pocono Raceway),[18] 14 Top 10's, and 20 Top 10 finishes, including a second-place finish at Rockingham after leading 78 laps. Johnson came into 2017 as the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. [159][160][161][162], On September 9, 2020, Johnson announced that he would join Chip Ganassi Racing on a part-time basis in 2021 and 2022 to drive the road and street courses on the IndyCar circuit. At Pocono, Johnson cut a tire on lap 88 but did not take major damage. Jimmy Johnson's Net worth. The following week at Pocono, Johnson won another pole position, setting another track qualifying record. Johnson opened up the Chase in a rough way. I had my mind made up when I went out there that I was going to keep it pinned and whatever happens, happens. 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. The pairing of two of NASCARs three seven-time Cup Series champions was announced Friday morning at Phoenix Raceway. Johnson won his third race of the season in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, followed by two more victories at Indianapolis and Martinsville. Johnson finished fifth at Phoenix, and for the third year in a row, he finished ninth at Homestead. His talent was noticed by Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon, who convinced owner Rick Hendrick to sign Johnson in the Winston Cup Series full-time for 2002, with Gordon as a part-owner of his car. I cant wait to see what we can achieve together.. In the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson led 263 laps before he got a penalty for overshooting his pit box. The 47-year-old El Cajon, California native, who joined the team not only as a part-time driver but as a co-owner, plans to attempt to qualify for the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 19. [49] Johnson finished in the Top 5 in the following three races. After having two separate spins, he drove his way through a large multicar accident off turn 2, involving Playoff drivers Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray, and rebounded with an 11th-place finish. NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson says the "physicality" of IndyCar vehicles has made adjusting to the sport difficult. [129] In the race, Johnson was on the verge of taking the lead with three laps remaining before being spun by Harvick. His second victory of the season came in the fifth race, the Auto Club 400, where Johnson passed Harvick in an overtime finish. 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 began the Chase for the Championship by leading a race-high 118 laps at Chicagoland, but received a speeding penalty during a green flag pit stop late in the race, ultimately finished 12th. The second victory of the 2004 Chase for the Nextel Cup, at the Subway 500 at Martinsville on October 24, 2004, was marred by tragedy. He initially had a test scheduled in March with Arrow McLaren SP at Barber Motorsports Park before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[156] a second attempt with Chip Ganassi Racing on the Indianapolis road course in July was postponed when he tested positive for the virus. (Darron Cummings/AP) Article. He called me one day and said, Ive been talking to Jimmie Johnson, and I said youve got to be kidding. The following week, Ken Squire sat down with the tri. He raced in Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG), Short-course Off-road Drivers Association (SODA), and SCORE International, winning rookie of the year in each series. What an exciting time for Petty GMS, said Petty, NASCARs all-time winningest driver with 200 Cup victories. However, he quickly was able to rebound winning the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway. Johnson made an appearance as himself in the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded, commenting on Herbie's sunroof as unusual for a stock car to have, and his car is also briefly seen from Herbie's POV. [38][39] In two years, Johnson's body fat percentage dropped from 20% to 8% (visible also in the change of the shape of his face), while his strength and stamina greatly improved. Johnson finished sixth in the points standings in the 2011 season and third in 2012 before winning his sixth championship in 2013. Over the last few laps, Johnson was racing alongside Brad Keselowski for the lead until a caution came out for debris. [23] Johnson had a total of eight wins, 20 Top 5's and 23 Top 10 finishes. Johnson finished second in the 600 but was disqualified after his car failed post-race technical inspection. Lose on the track, and you go home. [54] During the next two races, Johnson finished third and fifth in the Quaker State 400 and the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. At the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson ran well and ended up finishing eighth. Jimmie Johnson @JimmieJohnson . Two years later, he entered two events, which were both held at Daytona International Speedway. In the Chase, Johnson finished 12th at Chicagoland, fifth at New Hampshire, and third at Dover to advance to the Contender Round. Erica Johnson, Canadian broadcaster and journalist. He started the season on an up-and-down note but went winless through the first 11 races of the 2014 season (his best finish was 2nd at Martinsville). He also capitalized on Kenseth suffering from a poor-handling car. This locked him into the Championship 4 for the final race at Homestead. [115] The animosity between them lasted until Michigan a week later. Elliott Johnson (born 1975), American artist and designer. But he is set to drive the No. He ended up 19th. During the season, he won seven races (including a sweep at Phoenix), a career-high of six poles, 15 Top 5's, and 22 Top 10's. On the final restart, he passed Kyle Larson, winning the race and his seventh championship, tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most all-time of championships. Where else will Johnson compete in 2023? [52] During the Toyota/Save Mart 350, Johnson finished seventh after starting 12th on the grid. In December, Johnson won the 2006 Driver of the Year Award. Returning to Michigan, Johnson qualified third but crashed in happy hour, forcing him to a backup car and a 43rd starting spot. So the deal was to put Lowe's money behind him and let him run with it. Johnson's consistency was enough that there were points in the summer where he was more than a full two-race wins' worth of points ahead of Carl Edwards or Clint Bowyer. FOX NASCAR Insider. He charged through the field and finished seventh (1st car a lap down) and moved to the "Round of 12" of the Chase. Jimmie Johnson's Cup return provides special thrill to younger drivers. However, trouble struck when he finished 40th and 17th in the next two races. Johnson is the all-time winningest Cup Series driver at the following tracks: Johnson won a Cup Series race at every track on the 2020 schedule except at Chicagoland Speedway (where he won his first NASCAR race, in the Busch Series), Kentucky Speedway, Watkins Glen International, The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Daytona International Speedway Road Course. Posted on . Jimmie Johnson and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB are ready to take command on the track, like @jamindavis25 does on the field. Johnson starred in an episode of the television series Las Vegas in 2005. He slid into the outside wall, causing major damage to the No. Petty GMS was formed in December 2021 when Gallagher, a two-time NASCAR Truck Series Championship team owner, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports. On 17-9-1975 Jimmie Johnson was born in El Cajon, California, USA. During 2009 and 2010, the foundation awarded $1.5million for the Education Champions Grants program. Hired to drive the team's second Chevrolet, Neil Bonnett went winless in 1984. Owner Rick Hendrick's son Ricky, twin nieces, brother, and chief engine builder Randy Dorton as well as Joe Turner, Scott Lathram were killed in an airplane crash en route to the race. "It was one of those deals. Following Alexander's death during a racing incident, Johnson's car has had a flame decal with Alexander's initials inside of it on every car. Jimmie Johnson. [169], Johnson first raced in the Race of Champions in Europe in 2002. The next couple of days I was really sore. He started the season by finishing fifth in the Daytona 500 for the second year in a row. At Talladega, he was the only driver besides Matt Kenseth to lead double-digit laps (16) and finished in fifth place. Without much space into the corner, and with the obvious mechanical failure, the car broke sideways and impacted the outside retaining wall hard. Jimmie Johnson announced on Monday that he was stepping away from full-time racing. The runner-up finish was his fourth at Las Vegas, a track where he remains winless. And is now a NASCAR team owner. Petty GMS Racing announced Friday that Johnson had acquired an ownership stake in the team and . The best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one. After more than 20 years in NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson has made a lot of friends. Afterward, he won his second consecutive championship title and was named the 2007 Driver of the Year. Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. [59] On May 6, 2012, Johnson started 19th in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, but finished 35th after suffering a broken oil pump belt on lap 62.