Five Things To Know About Jimmie Johnson

by Tom Jensen January 16, 2024

You’ve heard all about Jimmie Johnson’s seven NASCAR Cup Series championships. Here’s five things you might not know.

Jimmie Johnson’s career is legendary.

Johnson, who is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024 along with his former crew chief Chad Knaus and veteran racer Donnie Allison, is best known for two records: Tying fellow Hall of Famers Richard Petty (Class of 2010) and Dale Earnhardt (Class of 2010) with seven NASCAR Cup Series championships and setting a record with five titles in a row, a mark that may never be equaled. Add in 83 race victories, tied for sixth best in NASCAR history with the late Cale Yarborough (Class of 2012) and it’s abundantly clear that Johnson has a true Hall of Fame resume.

We will celebrate those achievements and more during the Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony on January 19. But we thought it would be fun to add a few facts you might not know about Johnson.

400 Club

Prior to 2013, the only drivers to win in their 400^th Cup Series start were Dave Marcis and Hall of Famers Lee Petty (Class of 2011), Richard Petty (Class of 2010), David Pearson (Class of 2011) and Dale Earnhardt (Class of 2010). On February 24, 2013, Johnson became the sixth driver to win on his 400^th career start, taking the checkered flag in the 2013 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. It was his second victory in the “Great American Race,” his first coming in 2006. Johnson would go on to win six races and his sixth of a record-tying seven Cup Series championships in 2013.

Master of the Monster Mile

While Johnson holds the active record for victories at several tracks, his best track was Dover Motor Speedway, where he is the all-time leader with 11 Cup Series race wins. As a rookie in 2002, Johnson swept both races at “The Monster Mile” in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Fittingly, Johnson’s 83^rd and final Cup Series victory came at Dover on June 4, 2017, when he won the Drive for Autism 400. In that race, Johnson wore a Cale Yarborough tribute helmet, appropriate because Johnson’s victory tied him with Yarborough, who also won 83 races.

Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year

Since 1931, the Associated Press has presented an annual Male Athlete of the Year Award. In the 93-year history of the award, it has been presented to numerous baseball, football, basketball and tennis players, as well as boxers, golfers, swimmers and track and field stars. But the only automobile racer to be named AP Male Athlete of the year was Johnson, who received the honor in 2009, the year he won a record fourth of five consecutive Cup Series titles.

Marathon Man

In his Hall of Fame career, Johnson was truly a transformational figure when it came to driver physical fitness. His fanatical attention to all aspects of his health included a variety of workouts. Johnson even changed his diet from regular season to playoffs to ensure peak performance at championship time. Away from the track, Johnson is a dedicated athlete who has competed in many half-marathons and triathlons. Wearing No. 4848 on his singlet, Johnson finished the 2019 Boston Marathon in 3 hours 9 minutes 7 seconds, calling it one of the most challenging things he has ever done.

Numbers Game

In the history of the Cup Series dating back to 1949, when it was known as the Strictly Stock Division, the No. 48 won 91 points races. Of those 91, 83 were captured by Johnson. Coincidentally, 83 of 91 victories works out to almost exactly 91 percent. Of the eight races in the No. 48 that Johnson didn’t win, his successor Alex Bowman won five, James Hylton captured two and the last one was captured by California racer Bill Norton, won drove the No. 48 Mercury to victory on the 0.500-mile Carrell Speedway dirt track in Gardenia, California in 1950. Every other victory for the No. 48 belonged to Johnson in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.