May 24, 2008
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
September 15, 2007
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Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975, El
Cajon, California) is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup
race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet
Impala SS owned by his teammate Jeff Gordon and
operated by Rick Hendrick's Hendrick Motorsports.
Johnson is the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.
Jimmie Johnson began his racing career on 50cc
motorcycles at the age of five. Johnson was
successful on motorcycles at an early age. By the
time he was eight, he won the 60cc class
championship despite injuring his knee with several
races left in the season. From motorcycle racing he
made the move onto four wheels and competed in
several off-road leagues including SODA, SCORE
International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment
Group. 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.
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 81st
series event.
During the 2000 Season, Johnson was left in a tight
spot while racing in the Busch Series. Herzog
Motorsports, which had fielded Johnson's cars for
much of his career, was in a dilemma after their
sponsor, Alltel left the team for Penske Racing
after the Alltel Board of Directors recommended the
switch, as Greg Penske, Roger's son, joined the
Board of Directors at Alltel. During the Busch
Series race at Michigan International Speedway,
Johnson asked Jeff Gordon, who was also in the race,
for advice during the drivers' meeting. Gordon kept
in touch with Johnson after the incident, and a few
months later, Hendrick Motorsports, on Gordon's
recommendation, offered him a driver development
deal with the potential of advancing in 2002.
Johnson's pre-Nextel Cup career is also noted for a
crash at Watkins Glen where his car's brakes failed
heading into turn 1, causing him to crash at nearly
full speed headon into the styrofoam insulation and
guardrail. Johnson walked away uninjured. In fact,
he got out and put his fists in the air in
excitement. At the time, Johnson was largely an
unknown.
