Thank You, Jimmie Johnson!

     One Sunday afternoon fifteen and a half years ago, I stumbled across a NASCAR race on television. I'm not sure what it was, but there was just something about watching that race that got me hooked and interested in the sport. Not too long after, I settled on Rusty Wallace as the driver that I'd root for. My Mom and I even got to meet him at an autograph signing a few months later (thanks Mom!). That being said, as I started following NASCAR, little did I know that the sport was about to dominated by one driver: Jimmie Johnson.

    Tomorrow, the 2020 NASCAR season will come to an end at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. While 4 drivers will be battling for the championship, tomorrow will also be Jimmie Johnson's final race. As a NASCAR fan, it's bittersweet to say goodbye to Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's career in NASCAR has spanned 20 years, over 600 starts, 83 wins, and 7 championships. Johnson's 7 NASCAR Cup Series championships are tied for first all-time with NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. As Johnson's career comes to a close, I wanted to do a tribute post thanking him and the impact that he's had on NASCAR. 

    When I first started watching NASCAR 15 years ago, I wasn't familiar with Jimmie Johnson (I actually confused him with former Dallas Cowboys coach/NFL on FOX analyst Jimmy Johnson), but he was the point leader and a contender for the championship. While he didn't go on to win it all that year, he did finish 5th in points. The following season, Johnson broke through and won his first championship, the first of 5 consecutive championships he'd win between 2006-2010. It's hard to repeat as a champion in sports, let alone repeat 4 times. Prior to Johnson's 5 straight titles, no driver had won more than 3 championships in a row. 

    Jimmie Johnson's 5 straight championships did come to an end in 2011 (at the hands of Tony Stewart again), but he did go on to win a 6th championship in 2013 and a record-tying 7th championship in 2016. Jimmie Johnson was his first championship when I was in 6th grade and his seventh when I was a senior in college. Although I didn't grow up a Jimmie Johnson fan, I truly did grow up watching him dominate NASCAR and define an era. 

    I'll be the first to admit this: when Jimmie Johnson was consistently winning titles in the mid-late 2000s, I would get frustrated that he pulled through and won each year. I wanted to see a different driver win it all, even if it was the driver I was pulling for (Kurt Busch). As time has gone on, I find myself fondly looking back on Johnson's 5 straight titles. He was just that good. One thing that speaks to Jimmie Johnson's greatness is that his 7 titles came in different points systems and playoff formats that NASCAR adopted. Even as NASCAR's point system or format for crowning a champion changed, he still came out on top. 

    As mentioned earlier, Jimmie Johnson will forever be linked with all-time greats Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for winning a record 7 championships. While it is hard to compare each driver's championships because they raced in different eras (or, in Johnson's case, different points & playoff formats), Johnson is easily in the conversation for greatest driver of all time. While the "greatest of all time" debate is one for another time, it's safe to say Jimmie Johnson has been the best driver of my lifetime, though Jeff Gordon may have a case as well.

    I'm forever grateful to have been able watch Jimmie Johnson race, both on television and in-person at the racetrack. He's been a great ambassador for NASCAR and really brought a lot of attention & publicity to the sport -- he even won AP Male Athlete of the Year in 2009. When the biggest gripe fans have against you is that win too much, it's also a sign that you're a good role model for the sport.

    It's hard to list one characteristic about Jimmie Johnsons that's made him so successful, but if I had to list out a few reasons, here they are: he's a fierce competitor, great athlete (he even raced against my sister in the 2019 Boston Marathon!), and had a great team. A lot of credit for his titles also belongs to Chad Knaus, his former crew chief.  Together, they truly were the Tom Brady & Bill Belichick of NASCAR. Then again, Brady needs to win 1 more Super Bowl to match Johnson's titles, but I digress. 

    One thing that I've learned from watching Jimmie Johnson race is the importance of respecting greatness. Too often, when we see others succeed, we're envious of them or try to discredit their success. With Johnson, he's been a driver that I respect and have come to appreciate his greatness. With the way NASCAR's playoff format is, I can't imagine I'll ever see another driver win 5 straight championships. Even seeing another driver win 7 titles (or more) may never happen. And if I never do witness another driver match those feats, I'll be thankful I got to watch Johnson reach them. 

    Before I sign off on my tribute to Jimmie, I did want to provide a shout-out to another NASCAR driver whose final race is tomorrow as well: Clint Bowyer. While Bowyer's career has not been as illustrious as Johnson's, Bowyer did win 10 races and finished as high as second in points one year. He's been an enjoyable personality to have in NASCAR, and I look forward to listening to him in the FOX broadcasting booth next year.

    This week, I've found myself watching various tribute videos thanking Jimmie Johnson for all that he's done for NASCAR. I'll even admit that watching some have made me start to tear up. While superstars such as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. have also retired in recent years, I think this retirement has impacted me the hardest just because I grew up watching him dominate the sport. NASCAR truly won't be the same without Jimmie Johnson next year. It's definitely going to feel weird watching someone else pilot the 48 car. The good news for racing fans is that Johnson will be running in select IndyCar races next year. I look forward to watching him race in that series, tough it's definitely going to feel weird seeing him not drive a stock car.

    Although I wish the circumstances for Johnson's "victory lap" year were different, I am glad that he will receive a sendoff tomorrow. It's going to be nice to tune in tomorrow and watch Jimmie Johnson race one final time. And if he can just happen to pull out one more win, I would be thrilled. But even if he doesn't, I'm thankful to have watched him race - and win -- countless times. Thank You, Jimmie Johnson!