Jimmie Kenneth Johnson
Johnson at the Chevrolet fan meeting in Richmond.
Born	(1975-09-17) September 17, 1975 (age 36) El Cajon, California, United States
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg)
Achievements	2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Sprint All-Star Race XIX, XXII, XXVIII Winner 2006 Daytona 500 Winner 2003, 2004, 2005 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2004, 2012 Southern 500 Winner 2006, 2008, 2009 Brickyard 400 Winner Six off-road racing championships
Awards	1998 ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year 2009 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 Driver of the Year
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
375 race(s) run over 12 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports)
2011 position	6th
Best finish	1st – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
First race	2001 UAW-GM Quality 500 (Charlotte)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 (California)
Last win	2012 Bojangles' Southern 500 (Darlington)
Wins Top tens Poles 56 232 25
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
92 race(s) run over 10 year(s)
2011 position	104th
Best finish	8th – 2001
First race	1998 Kroger 200 (IRP)
Last race	2011 Zippo 200 at the Glen (Watkins Glen)
First win	2001 Sam's Club Presents Hill Bros. Coffee 300 (Chicago)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 24 2
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
1 race(s) run over 1 year(s)
Best finish	104th – 2008
First race	2008 O'Reilly 200 (Bristol)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of May 27, 2012.

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Johnson was born in El Cajon, California, and began racing motorcycles at the age of five. After graduating from Granite Hills High School he competed in off-road series. 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. In 1998, Johnson and his team began stock car racing. He moved to the national American Speed Association (ASA) series for late model touring cars, and won another rookie of the year title. In 2000, he switched to the NASCAR Busch Series (now Nationwide Series).

He moved to Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series in 2002. After finishing fifth in the points in his first full season, he was second in 2003 and 2004 and fifth in 2005. Johnson won his first Cup series championship in 2006 and with further wins in 2007, 2008, 2009 and in 2010 became the only driver in NASCAR history to win five consecutive championships. During the 2011 season, Johnson finished sixth in points. Between 2002 and 2012, Johnson has recorded 56 wins, 232 top-tens, and 25 pole positions.

Johnson became the first racing driver to become Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year (U.S.) in 2009, and has won Driver of the Year four times, most recently in 2010. He also topped Forbes.com's Most Influential Athletes list for two consecutive years (2011, 2012).

Early and personal life[link]

Jimmie Johnson's signature.

Johnson was born in El Cajon, California in September 1975.^[1] He attended Granite Hills High School,^[2][3] while he raced motorcycles during the weekends. He was a varsity water polo player, diver and swimmer and graduated in 1993. The number 48 is retired from all sports teams uniforms at his school and Johnson was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.^[4] He has two younger brothers, Jarit and Jessie. Johnson lives in Charlotte, North Carolina^[1] like many other NASCAR drivers and is married to the former Chandra Janway, the two having known each other since 2002.^[5] In January 2010, Johnson signed a mini-series deal with HBO for a NASCAR based reality show 24/7 Jimmie Johnson: Race to Daytona. Cameras followed him from January 2010 to the 2010 Daytona 500.^[6] On January 4, 2010, the Associated Press reported that the Johnsons were expecting their first child. ^[7] On July 7, 2010, Chandra gave birth to their daughter, Genevieve Marie .^[8]

Racing career[link]

Beginnings[link]

Johnson started racing motorcycles in 1980. Three years later he won the 60cc class championship, despite having an injured knee.^[1] Afterward, he moved to the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG) Stadium Racing Series where he won several more awards. In 1993, Johnson was given the opportunity to drive for Herb Fishel. He refused the deal and continued racing buggies and trucks in off-road stadium and desert races. He also reported for ESPN in the Short Course Off-Road Drivers Association (SODA). Three years later, Johnson drove for Herzog Motorsports in the off-road truck series in 1996.^[1] During his time in the SODA, SCORE and MTEG series, he accumulated over 25 wins, 100 top-three finishes, six championships, and received Rookie of the Year honors in all three leagues.^[9]

Two years later, he entered the American Speed Association (ASA),^[10] as well as the NASCAR Busch Series (now Nationwide Series).^[1] In the same year, Johnson won the ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie title.^[10] One year later, he had two wins and finished third in the standings.^[9] In 2000, he was announced the driver for Herzog Motorsports in the Busch Series. During the season, he finished tenth in the point standings. During the 2001 season, Johnson recorded one win, which was at Chicagoland Speedway, and finished eighth in the point standings. He also began racing in the Winston Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) for Hendrick Motorsports. In the following season, Johnson left Herzog Motorsports to move to Hendrick Motorsports in the Winston Cup Series.^[9][11][12]

Sprint Cup Series[link]

Hendrick Motorsports[link]

2002–2005[link]

Johnson began racing full time in the Winston Cup Series during the 2002 season. During the season, he became the first rookie driver to lead the point standings, and the first rookie to win twice at the same track during a season. He recorded four pole positions and three wins (Auto Club 500, MBNA 400, MBNA America 400), as well as 6 top-fives and 21 top-tens. His first career win was during the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, while his first pole position was in the 2002 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. At the end of the season he was able to finish fifth in the final point standings.^[9][11]

During 2003, Johnson finished ninth on the all-time list for consecutive weeks ranked in the top-10 in points with 69. He recorded three wins (Coca-Cola 600, New England 300, Sylvania 300), two pole positions, 14 top-fives, and 20 top-ten finishes, which he won both races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the season. He also was able to win The Winston at Lowe's Motor Speedway his first time, as well as finishing second to Matt Kenseth in the final point standings.^[13] His two pole positions in the season were at the Kansas Speedway and Pocono Raceway.^[11]

Johnson qualifying at Auto Club Speedway in 2005.

In 2004, Johnson started slowly at Rockingham Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway with results of 41 and 16. However, he quickly was able to rebound with a win at the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway. Subsequent victories at the Coca-Cola 600, the Pocono 500, and the Pennsylvania 500 came in the middle of the season, sweeping Pocono for the season. However, finishes of 37th and 32nd at Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway moved him toward the bottom of the point standings. Afterward he was able to win in the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The second victory of the 2004 Chase for the Nextel Cup, at the Subway 500 in Martinsville, Virginia on October 24, 2004, was marred by tragedy. Owner Rick Hendrick's son (Ricky Hendrick), 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. All eight passengers and both pilots died in the incident, and Johnson was told after completion of the race.^[14] Johnson had a total of eight wins during the season, as well as 20 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. At the end of the season, Johnson finished second in the point standings.^[11][15]

In 2005, Johnson won at Las Vegas, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, and then again at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In total, Johnson had four consecutive wins at his sponsor (Lowe's) sponsored track in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 at the midway point of the event with a tire problem.^[16] He recorded 13 top-fives, 22 top-10 finishes, and one pole position.^[11]

2006–2010[link]

In 2006, Johnson began the season with a victory in the Daytona 500. He finished second at the next race at California Speedway and won the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Johnson was also able to win the Brickyard 400, as well as two other victories at Martinsville Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway in the season. During the season, he became the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first five seasons. At the end of the season, he recorded one pole, 13 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, as well as winning the championship title, which was his first in his NASCAR career. In December of the same year, Johnson was announced the 2006 Driver of the Year.^[9][11][17]

During the 2007 season, he recorded ten wins, four pole positions, 20 top-five, and 24 top-10 finishes. His wins include two races at Richmond International Raceway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway, as well as one at Las Vegas Motor Speedway,^[9] California Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. Afterward, he won his second consecutive title, as well as being named 2007 Driver of the Year. Johnson also had the best average finish in the Chase with a 5.0. At seasons end, he had a total of 33 wins, which was 18th at the time on the all time list.^[11][18]

Jimmie Johnson racing in the 2008 Daytona 500

In 2008, Johnson became the second driver to win three consecutive Sprint Cup Series championships, with the other being Cale Yarborough. During the season, he managed to recored seven wins, a career high of six pole positions, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. Five of his seven wins, he started from the pole position, and he became the only driver to record three wins in each of their first seven seasons. In the Chase for the Sprint Cup, he had recorded 14 wins, eight more than any other driver. Also in the season, he was named 2008 Driver of the Year, and won an ESPY as the Best Driver. After the season, he also moved to third on the active winners list at the time.^[11][19]

In the 2009 season, Johnson recorded his fourth consecutive championship, becoming the only driver to do so. Throughout the season he had managed to win 7 races, earn 4 pole positions, and record 16 top-fives and 24 top-tens. He also became the only driver to win at least three races in each of their first eight seasons, as well as the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup every year since 2004. During the season he became second on the active winners list, while 13th on the all time winners list. After the season concluded, he was awarded an ESPY for the second consecutive year, and won the Driver of the Year title for the third time, tying Jeff Gordon, Mario Andretti, and Darrell Waltrip as the only three time winners of the award. He also became the first auto racing driver to win the Associated Press's Athlete of the Year award.^[11][20]

During 2010, Johnson managed to win his fifth consecutive championship, becoming the third driver who made up points to win the title since 1975. In the season, he earned 2 pole positions, 17 top-fives, 23 top-tens, and won 6 races. He also remained the only driver to qualify for the Chase every year since its inception in 2004, and became tenth on the all time NASCAR win list. Johnson was also voted Driver of the Year for the fourth time in his NASCAR career, joining Gordon as four time winners of the award.^{[11][21][22][23]} He also managed to win Tony Stewart's charity race, the Prelude to the Dream, which was his first victory on a dirt oval.^[24]

2011–2012[link]

In 2011, Johnson began the season with a fourth place finish in the Budweiser Shootout, after starting from the 23rd position.^[25] One week later in the 2011 Daytona 500, started 23rd, but finished 27th after being involved in an accident.^[26] During the Subway Fresh Fit 500, he managed a third place finish. Following a 16th place finish after the Kobalt Tools 400 he collected two consecutive top-five finishes.^[25] Johnson received his first win of the 2011 season during the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, edging Clint Bowyer by 0.002 seconds, tying with the closest finish in series history.^[27] After finishing in the first 15 positions in the next four races, Johnson failed to finish the Coca-Cola 600 after his engine failed.^[25] The next week, in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400, Johnson spun off turn two, flattening multiple tires, and breaking the sway bar which prompted him to a finish of 27th.^[28] During the Toyota/Save Mart 350, Johnson finished seventh after starting 12th on the grid. The finish moved Johnson to third in the Drivers' standings.^[29]

After returning to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400, Johnson and team-mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran together for most of the race, until Johnson pitted under the caution. Johnson fell down the grid and was involved in a last lap accident, prompting him to finish 20th.^[30] During the next two races, Johnson finished third and fifth in the Quaker State 400 and the Lenox Industrial Tools 301.^[25] Two weeks later, Johnson found himself finishing 19th during the Brickyard 400 after coming to pit road with 30 laps remaining in the event.^[31] Johnson finished fourth in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500,^[25] after bumping Kurt Busch on the final lap.^[32] In the next race, Johnson managed to finish tenth.^[25] Johnson finished in the top-five in the following three races.^[25] During the last race of the regular season, the Wonderful Pistachios 400, Johnson finished in the 31st position.^[25] While at Chicagoland Speedway for the GEICO 400, Johnson finished 10th.^[25] Afterward, Johnson managed to finish 18th in the Sylvania 300, then second in the AAA 400. One week later, Johnson recorded his second victory of the season in the Hollywood Casino 400.^[25] During the Bank of America 500, Johnson was involved in a crash and finished 34th. In the following race, Johnson finished second. For the next two races, Johnson finished 14th in each, and finished 32nd in the Ford 400 to finish sixth in the Driver's championship standings.^[25]

Johnson began the 2012 season with a 14th place finish in the Budweiser Shootout after crashing on lap 74.^[33] During the Daytona 500, Johnson and Elliott Sadler collided on the second lap, sending Johnson into the SAFER barrier. Damage to the car was severe, prompting him to retire and finish 42nd.^[34] Afterward, he finished fourth and second in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 and Kobalt Tools 400.^[35] While at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500, Johnson finished in the ninth position, moving him up to 11th^[36] in the Drivers' Standings.^[37] Next, Johnson finished tenth in the Auto Club 400, despite having an oil leak.^[38] During the spring event at Martinsville, Johnson finished twelfth after being involved in a crash on the first green-white-checker attempt.^[39] In the following event, the Samsung Mobile 500, Johnson finished second after leading much of the race before he was passed by Greg Biffle.^[40] 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.^[35] On May 6, 2012, Johnson started 19th in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, but finished 35th after his engine failed on lap 110.^[41] Johnson won his first race of the season one week later in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington. The win was also Rick Hendrick's 200th Sprint Cup Series win.^[42] A week later, he matched Gordon and Dale Earnhardt with three wins in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after winning the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXVIII.^[43]

Race of Champions[link]

Jimmie Johnson driving a Fiat Grande Punto S2000 Abarth at the 2007 Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium.

Johnson first raced in the Race of Champions in Europe in 2002. He was eliminated in the first runoff by then world rally champion Marcus Grönholm of Finland but he and Jeff Gordon and Colin Edwards racing as Team USA won the teams' championship. He returned to the event two years later but lost the quarter finals 0–2 to Mattias Ekström of Sweden who was DTM German Touring Car champion that year.

Johnson entered the 2006 event but did not start due to injury received just days before the race.^[44] He still attended the event to cheer for team mate Travis Pastrana. In the 2007 event Johnson was eliminated before the quarter-finals by F1 driver Sébastien Bourdais of France.^[45][46]

Grand-Am[link]

In 2004, he began his Grand-Am career in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where he finished eighth. He also entered the event one year later, which his team, Howard-Boss Motorsports, managed to finish second. Two years later, he entered two events, which were both held at Daytona International Speedway. During the races, his team finished 9th and 19th. In 2008, Johnson moved to Bob Stallings Racing with Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty to race in the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona, where the team finished second. One year later, he returned with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing for his fifth Rolex 24 appearance. During the race, his team managed to finish seventh. He returned to the team in 2010, to race in the Rolex 24 and Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.^[47] During the Rolex 24 at Daytona his team finished 21st,^[48] while at Watkins Glen the team managed to finish sixth.^[49] He returned to the Rolex 24, in 2011 where his team managed to finish 15th.^[50][51]

The Jimmie Johnson Foundation[link]

The Jimmie Johnson Foundation was launched by Johnson and his wife Chandra in 2006. The foundation helps children, families, and communities in need. In 2007, Johnson opened Jimmie Johnson’s Victory Lanes in Randleman, North Carolina, which is a four lane bowling center for campers at Pattie and Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp. The foundation supports several charities, including Habitat for Humanity, Hendrick Marrow Program, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Victory Junction. Every year it holds a golf tournament in San Diego,^[52] which raises money to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Johnson's hometown. Since the beginning the tournament has raised a total of two million US$ to help fund several projects. During 2009 and 2010, the foundation awarded $1.5 million for the Education Champions Grants program. The money is given to public schools in California, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. It helps fund basic needs, such as technology, outdoor classrooms, playground construction, and reading programs. The foundation has also assisted the American Red Cross with disaster relief efforts.^[2][11][53]

Racing record[link]

Sprint Cup Series[link]

Results[link]

Note:This list does not include exhibition races.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)