[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". "[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. [51] After finishing in the first 15 positions in the next four races, Johnson failed to finish the Coca-Cola 600 after his engine failed. Hired to drive the team's second Chevrolet, Neil Bonnett went winless in 1984. Johnson's only great run of the season came at the Charlotte Roval race where he ran in the Top 10 for most of the day and battled Martin Truex Jr. for the win on the final lap, but he locked his brakes on turn 17 and spun out of control, taking Truex out with him in the process while Blaney passed them to win the race. He recovered to finish ninth after being two laps down. [137] Johnson's misfortunes continued at Kansas when he was collected in a third-stage crash while running in the top ten,[137][138] followed by a first-stage spin at New Hampshire while fighting for a top-five spot. In winning, he established a Cup record of 23 wins on 1.5-mile tracks, taking what was both his 200th Top 5 and his 300th Top 10 finish. Erica Johnson, Canadian broadcaster and journalist. Next week in Las Vegas, he finished first in the final practice. 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. He started 16th and finished 11th after a tire spun on the first restart in overtime. After finishing in the top ten at Sonoma and Kentucky, Johnson was collected in an early wreck in the Coke Zero 400, finishing 42nd. 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. No one in the modern era of NASCAR has won more than Jimmie. [107] Johnson finished 10th in the final standings, his 15th and final Top 10 finish in the points standings. Further announcements will surely be made in due time. From there, Chad Knaus and the Hendrick Motorsports No. Johnson came into 2017 as the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. FOX NASCAR Insider. On July 29, 2019, following a string of disappointing finishes during the season, Hendrick Motorsports announced that race engineer Cliff Daniels would replace Meendering as the crew chief of the No. For other people named Jimmie Johnson or Jimmy Johnson, see, 2023: Legacy Motor Club co-owner, part-time return, Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:19, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, Sam's Club Presents the Hills Bros. Coffee 300, Short-course Off-road Drivers Association, Jimmie Johnson wins seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship, Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google, consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships, List of Daytona 500 pole position winners, "10 Greatest Race Car Drivers of All Time - Page 6 of 10", "Jimmie Johnson grabs rare Bristol win after Larson mishap", "Official Site of Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Racing & Team Store", "CORR: Scott Taylor wins Governor's Cup at Crandon", "FANS CHEER LAKE GENEVA SODA SEASON OPENER", "Douglas Scores Double Win at Lake Geneva Race", "Jimmie Johnson salutes a long, strange trip through the desert", "Jimmie JohnsonBiography, Pictures, Videos, & Quotes", "1998 Kroger 200 Presented by the Fifth Third Bank", "Jimmie Johnson recalls how NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon helped kick-start his career ahead of Daytona 500", "NASCAR.COM Before Hendrick, there was Herzog Motorsports", "TOP TEN ROOKIE CAMPAIGNS AT NASCAR'S HIGHEST LEVEL", "Johnson's First Martinsville Win Came With a Price", "2004 Jimmie Johnson Season Stats | Racing Season Stats and Results | NASCAR Sprint Cup", "2005 Jimmie Johnson Season Stats | Racing Season Stats and Results | NASCAR Sprint Cup", "Earl Barban is 7-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson's eyes in the sky", "Impossible save: Jimmie Jimmie's 2006 qualifying spin at Dover | NASCAR", "Frontstretch Breakdown: 2006 Sylvania 300 at Loudon", "Jimmie Johnson's Chase Diary: Kansas | Hendrick Motorsports", "Gamble Earns Stewart a Victory (Published 2006)", "NASCAR.COM - Lap-by-Lap: 'Dega - Oct 8, 2006", "Jimmie Johnson's Chase Diary: Talladega | Hendrick Motorsports", "Best of 7: Jimmie Johnson's Greatest Championship", "Bowles-Eye View: Jimmie Johnson's Miracle Comeback", "2006 Jimmie Johnson Season Stats | Racing Season Stats and Results | NASCAR Sprint Cup |", "2007 Jimmie Johnson Season Stats | Racing Season Stats and Results | NASCAR Sprint Cup", "Workout wiz JJ strengthens his grip on Cup reign", "For some, running means a different kind of race", "NASCAR's Johnson wins male athlete of the year", "2008 Jimmie Johnson Season Stats | Racing Season Stats and Results | NASCAR Sprint Cup | FOX Sports on MSN", "With Late Bump, Johnson Wins Lenox Industrial Tools 301", "NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson wins Driver of the Year", "Johnson captures 5th straight NASCAR title Motor sports- NBC Sports", "Johnson wins fifth straight title; Edwards wins race", "Johnson wins Prelude to the Dream at Eldora", "Jimmie Johnson 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results", "Bayne becomes youngest Daytona 500 winner", "Johnson nips Bowyer at the line, wins at Talladega", "Spins, scrapes, and struggles Oh my! [97], Johnson scored his third win of the season at Dover in June after passing Kyle Larson on an overtime restart, which ended under caution with a multicar incident behind the two leaders. Johnson fell down the grid and was involved in a last-lap accident, prompting him to finish 20th. [111] On March 29 in O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 qualifying at Texas, Johnson got his first pole since 2016 at Texas and scored his first Top 5 finish since the 2018 Coca-Cola 600 two days later. A few days later in the Toyota 500 at the same track, Johnson bounced back with an eighth-place finish in the same track. He also reported for ESPN in the Short-course Off-road Drivers Association (SODA). At Loudon, Johnson finished sixth after blowing a tire in the third position. 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. Johnson was also named Driver of the Year for the fourth time in his career, joining Gordon as the only drivers to win the award that many times. In 2000, he switched to the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). 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. Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, also won the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. 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. It helps fund basic needs, such as technology, outdoor classrooms, playground construction, and reading programs. At his home track Auto Club, he qualified second, losing the pole position to Clint Bowyer by 0.007 seconds. He moved to the national American Speed Association (ASA) series for late model touring cars, and won another rookie of the year title. 48 team guided Johnson to five consecutive championships between 2016-2010. 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. 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. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series, doing so for 20 seasons (19 as a full-time driver). The following week at Phoenix, Johnson started inside the Top 10 and finished second behind Carl Edwards. [112][113][114] At Watkins Glen, Johnson finished 19th after being spun out by Ryan Blaney, leading to an argument between the two after the race. Johnson starred in an episode of the television series Las Vegas in 2005. [55] Johnson finished fourth in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500,[49] after bumping Kurt Busch on the final lap. Johnson finished seventh and sixth at Bristol and Michigan the following two weeks but finished 33rd at Darlington after he spun out of turn 4. He finished 26th and only two points above the playoff cutoff in the standings. [11] Driving for Herzog Motorsports' stock car program, he won the ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie title in 1998. Jimmie Johnson said a few prayers when he wrecked late in his Indianapolis 500 debut with his teammate in the lead. The team finished 28th in overall ranking. With Lowe's money Brett bought everything - trucks, cars, equipment, motors, anything that was inside the shops. He spun out on lap 134 in turn 4, bringing out the seventh caution, and was never a real threat. For most of the event, he was in the Top 10 and led 10 laps; he finished seventh.[123]. Jimmie Johnson announced on Monday that he was stepping away from full-time racing. [67] Next, in the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson finished 11th in the race after a penalty on lap 354. I tried once and moved him. On November 4, 2022, Johnson purchased an ownership stake in Petty GMS Motorsports. It was a . The second stage saw him pit early to avoid having to save fuel, and he took advantage of the drivers pitting later in the stage, for another fifth-place finish. Jimmie Johnson has an estimated net worth of $160 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. "Junior Johnson truly was the 'Last American Hero,'" NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said after Johnson's death, according to NASCAR.com. [49] During the Bank of America 500, Johnson was involved in a crash and finished 34th. Home, Nascar Racing, Jail. 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. Johnson was born in Ronda, North Carolina, the fourth of seven children of Lora Belle (Money) and Robert Glenn Johnson, Sr. His family is of Ulster Scots descent, and settled in the foothills of North Carolina in the eighteenth century. But now he has formally announced a second. Johnson began his season with a win in the Budweiser Duel. 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 . Cameras followed him from January 2010 to the 52nd Daytona 500 held on February 14, 2010. He made his 120 million dollar fortune with Daytona 500, NASCAR Cup Series. Jimmie Johnson. No one else will be able to say they have two seven-time Cup champions on their team. [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. And, about 150 years later, Junior's family kept the tradition going in order to survive. [175] He returned to the Rolex 24, in 2011 where his team finished 15th. 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. Said Gallagher: I couldnt be happier to have Jimmie Johnson joining Petty GMS. 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. 271. 84 Chevrolet is one of them, the two-time Daytona 500 winner technically isnt locked into the race. 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! Even the biggest names in motorsports, however, can need some help sometimes. Johnson finished sixth in the points standings in the 2011 season and third in 2012 before winning his sixth championship in 2013. Returning to Daytona, Johnson started 12th and led 35 laps before finishing second to Dale Earnhardt Jr., in a repeat of the Talladega race. Johnson also assumed the point lead as well, which he held for the remainder of the regular season. He was a varsity water polo player, diver, and swimmer, and graduated in 1993. [223] Johnson and Elliott also had roles in developing the expansion. Following in the top five were Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch. 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? Updated Feb 19, 2023 at 8:39pm. Returning to Michigan, Johnson qualified third but crashed in happy hour, forcing him to a backup car and a 43rd starting spot. He was starting over at 44 when he made his first IndyCar debut in April 2021 at Barber Motorsports Park. He had to swerve quickly to the right to avoid the No. With the retirement of his teammate and mentor, Jeff Gordon, Johnson assumed the active wins record with 75. In the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson led 263 laps before he got a penalty for overshooting his pit box. He finished 12th at Martinsville, but was followed by a disappointing 27th-place result at Texas. At Martinsville, Johnson started seventh but finished 39th after being involved in a crash early in the race. [106] However, on lap 148, Johnson's hopes at an eighth championship ended when he blew a tire in turn 3, and hit the outside wall hard, ending his day and eliminating him from the Playoffs. 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. Then all of a sudden, there wasnt.. If Jimmie comes in, does his deal. 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. The size of Johnsons ownership stake also wasnt disclosed, but Petty said he hoped that Johnson eventually would be the majority owner. After more than 20 years in NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson has made a lot of friends. The middle child of seven, Robert Glenn Johnson, Jr. was immersed in the business and lifestyle as early as 4-years-old, when federal agents raided his home and removed hundreds of gallons of illegal moonshine in 1935. [210], On November 19, 2013, Johnson became the first professional athlete to co-host ESPN's flagship news show, SportsCenter. Johnson is also one of the six cover drivers of NASCAR Kart Racing. Johnson said, Kurt knocked me out of the way. Unfortunately, Johnson's performance slipped in the third round. He eventually climbed out of the car unscathed and raised his fists in the air like he had won the race. A team release said Johnsons racing schedule, sponsors and car number would be revealed in the future and made no mention of whether he would be racing in other series. [125] He bounced back with an 11th-place run in Charlotte's next race Alsco Uniforms 500. 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. According to those that know Johnson, he was born with a pitch fork in his mouth due to how tough his journey turned out to be. 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. NEWS: Jimmie Johnson is finalizing a deal to obtain an ownership stake within the Petty GMS organization starting in 2023, sources close to Johnson and Petty GMS have told @TheAthletic. [13] He continued his limited slate in 1999 with Herzog Motorsports before moving to a full-time schedule in 2000. [3] By 1997, Johnson had progressed to SODA's Class 8; Class 8 is short-course off-road racing's class of two-wheel-drive Trophy Trucks which generate about 800 horsepower. Johnson avoided the accident and was put into the position to win the title. Browse more videos Playing next 2:28 Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana WILL RACE in the 2023 Daytona 500 _ NASCAR Sports Collection 5:59 Over 19 seasons in NASCARs premier series with Hendrick Motorsports from 2002-20, the El Cajon, California native scored 83 victories, ranking sixth on the all-time Cup Series list. He had the dominant car of the race, leading 182 of 267 laps. Elliott Johnson (born 1975), American artist and designer. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano won the pole Saturday for Sundays 400-mile race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson's age is 47 years old as of today's date 1st March 2023 having been born on 17 September 1975. His maternal great-grandfather served as the second . Jimmie Johnson will have one more season in NASCAR. Johnson,. Evan Malbone Johnson (1791-1865), American priest and religious writer. 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. [168] On September 26, 2022, Johnson announced that he would be stepping back from racing full-time. During the races, his team finished 9th and 19th. [77] He was racing for the win and the championship the following week at Homestead, but his chances of winning the championship were over after he had a pit road penalty and had a gear failure and he finished 36th in that race, and finished third in the Drivers Championship behind Keselowski and Bowyer.[78]. Johnson said his new NASCAR deal escalated quickly after he entered into discussions with Gallagher over the past month. At Richmond, he finished third. At Michigan, he was leading late in the race with six laps to go when his engine blew up, giving the race to Greg Biffle. At Talladega, Johnson started second and led a high of 84 laps. 48 Lowe's SS. On March 14, 2018, Lowe's announced they would no longer sponsor the No. 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. Fans expecting to see him in the No . Other drivers and teammates have also lauded Johnson for his leadership and helpfulness, including younger drivers Corey LaJoie (for whom Johnson advocated to get a seat in a Cup car),[199] Chase Elliott, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman, and Ryan Blaney[200] as well as veterans including Brad Keselowski,[201] Kevin Harvick,[202] Jeff Gordon,[203] and more. He is married to Chandra Janway, the two having known each other since 2002. 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]. 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.. At Charlotte, Johnson led a race-high 155 laps and won the Bank of America 500, claiming his eighth win at the track and the third win of the season, also snapping his 24-race winless streak. The following week, Ken Squire sat down with the tri. At Martinsville, Denny Hamlin aggressively made contact with Johnson on lap 198 and had a tire rub to cause a caution but was able to stay on the lead lap. 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). But Petty GMS is a Chevrolet team, and Ganassi runs Hondas, casting doubt on whether the manufacturer conflict would preclude Johnson from returning to the team at the Brickyard. 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]. [173] During the Rolex 24 at Daytona his team finished 21st,[174] while at Watkins Glen the team finished sixth. (Darron Cummings/AP) Article. [136] On top of that, his crew committed a penalty for too many crew members over the wall. [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]. After finishing fifth in the points in his first full season, he was second in 2003 and 2004 and fifth in 2005. Jimmie Johnson @JimmieJohnson . During the season, he moved up one spot up to second on the active winners' list and went to 13th on the all-time wins list. 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. [147], During the fall Texas race, Johnson would gain publicity by running a special scheme created by designer Noah Sweet, otherwise known as Lefty or Lefty Designs. [4] He battled Scott Taylor and Brendan Gaughan for the championship. He also was named the 2008 Driver of the Year and won an ESPY as the Best Driver. He also was able to win the All-Star race for the first time, as well as finishing second with just 90 points behind Matt Kenseth and 207 ahead of his future teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.[22], In 2004, Johnson started slowly at Rockingham Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway with results of 41st and 16th, after a Top 10 finish in the Daytona 500. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series, driving the No. Elliott suffered a leg injury in a Friday snowboarding accident and is expected to miss several races. | NASCAR.com", "Jimmie Johnson advances to Round of 8 | NASCAR.com", "NASCAR Playoffs: Jimmie Johnson fades at Texas | NASCAR.com", "Jimmie Johnson in 'must-win' situation at Phoenix | NASCAR.com", "Jimmie Johnson crashes at Phoenix, ending his chase for record eighth NASCAR title", "Iconic moment as Johnson pushes Elliott to Victory Lane | Hendrick Motorsports", "Chase Elliott on Jimmie Johnson's 'awesome' sportsmanship after first win", "Jimmie Johnson finds new sponsor in Ally Financial for 2019 season", "Jimmie Johnson wins rain-shortened Advance Auto Parts Clash", "Hendrick Motorsports names Cliff Daniels as No. $70.00 + $11.45 shipping. Perhaps most important of all, Jimmie will be a great partner. The win was also Rick Hendrick's 200th NASCAR Cup Series win. He slid into the outside wall, causing major damage to the No. At Kentucky, Johnson started third. Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) November 2, 2022 [56] In the next race, Johnson finished tenth. Josh Berry, replacing the injured Chase Elliott in the Hendrick Motorsports No. Johnson was able to charge through the field after the caution and restart to salvage a ninth-place finish. Although the three bubble drivers avoided a late wreck in the final stage, Johnson was collected in "The Big One" with two laps remaining. At the time of his retirement, Johnson's 83 career points-paying victories made him the winningest active NASCAR driver, in sixth place among the all-time Cup Series winners; he is also ranked third among those who have competed during the sport's modern era (1972present). The following week at Pocono, Johnson won another pole position, setting another track qualifying record. This locked him into the Championship 4 for the final race at Homestead. This gave him a total of 74 career wins, two fewer than Dale Earnhardt's 76. In 2016, Johnson won his seventh championship, tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most Cup Series championships of all time. Jimmie Johnson is returning to NASCAR on a part-time basis, including in this weekend's Daytona 500. During 2010, Johnson won his fifth consecutive championship, becoming the third driver who made up points to win the title since 1975. Afterward, he won his second consecutive championship title and was named the 2007 Driver of the Year. Between 2002 and 2017, Johnson recorded seven championships, 83 career race wins,[2] 222 top fives, 341 top tens, and 35 pole positions. [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. 48 is also playable in Forza Motorsport 6, via the NASCAR expansion pack. [214], Johnson has appeared on the cover of several magazines, including NASCAR Illustrated;[215] Sports Illustrated;[216][217] Men's Fitness,[218] and Success. Austin Hill has started the 2023 Xfinity Series season as a hard charger. Endorsements add another $10 million every year. [72] However, in the Coke Zero 400, Johnson finished 36th[59] after retiring from a crash on lap 124. Johnson Brothers is a national family-owned wine, spirits and beer distributor. Johnson learned from some of the best and found an early mentor in motocross and supercross champion Rick Johnson (the two men are not related). On a restart with 10 laps to go, Carl Edwards came across the nose of Joey Logano, hit the inside wall, and triggered a massive wreck, ending Edwards' championship hopes. He called me one day and said, Ive been talking to Jimmie Johnson, and I said youve got to be kidding. This is a tremendous day for our sport, team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. So Im very excited about this.. [65], Johnson won his first race of the season one week later in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington. Legacy Motor Club replaces Petty GMS, the name the two . 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.