Jimmie Johnson | |||||||
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![]() Johnson at Sonoma Raceway in 2024 | |||||||
Born | Jimmie Kenneth Johnson September 17, 1975 El Cajon, California, U.S. | ||||||
Achievements | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most NASCAR Cup Series Championships (7) | ||||||
Awards | 1998 ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year 2009 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 Driver of the Year 2020 Bill France Award of Excellence recipient 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2024) | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
692 races run over 22 years | |||||||
Car no., team | No. 84 (Legacy Motor Club) | ||||||
2023 position | 39th | ||||||
Best finish | 1st (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016) | ||||||
First race | 2001 UAW-GM Quality 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 2024 Brickyard 400 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
First win | 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 (Fontana) | ||||||
Last win | 2017 AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Dover) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
93 races run over 11 years | |||||||
2013 position | 111th | ||||||
Best finish | 8th (2001) | ||||||
First race | 1998 Kroger 200 (IRP) | ||||||
Last race | 2013 Dollar General 200 (Phoenix) | ||||||
First win | 2001 Sam's Club Presents the Hills Bros. Coffee 300 (Chicago) | ||||||
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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
2008 position | 104th | ||||||
Best finish | 104th (2008) | ||||||
First race | 2008 O'Reilly 200 (Bristol) | ||||||
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IndyCar Series career | |||||||
29 races run over 2 years | |||||||
Team(s) | No. 48 (Chip Ganassi Racing) | ||||||
Best finish | 21st (2022) | ||||||
First race | 2021 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (Birmingham) | ||||||
Last race | 2022 Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey (Laguna Seca) | ||||||
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Signature | |||||||
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Statistics current as of April 14, 2024. |
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE for his team, Legacy Motor Club. 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. From 2021 to 2022, Johnson competed in the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing, and has competed occasionally in sports car racing throughout his career.
Johnson was born in El Cajon, California, and began racing motorcycles at the age of four. 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, Herzog Motorsports, 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 Xfinity Series).
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. 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 2010, he became the first and only driver in NASCAR history[1] to win five consecutive championships. Johnson finished sixth in the points standings in the 2011 season and third in 2012 before winning his sixth championship in 2013. In 2016, Johnson won his seventh championship, tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most Cup Series championships of all time. Johnson is also a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, winning in 2006 and 2013. Between 2002 and 2017, Johnson recorded seven championships, 83 career race wins,[2] 222 top fives, 341 top tens, and 35 pole positions.