
Jimmie Johnson has signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that will keep him behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet through 2024.
As the owner of a record-tying seven NASCAR Premier Series championships and 83 race victories, Johnson has so many career highlights that it would be impossible to chronicle all of them. But here are some of the best of the best.
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Seven-Time
Johnson’s nickname of “Seven-Time” is well earned after he clinched his seventh Premier Series title in 2017, tying Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most of all time.
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83 race wins
Johnson’s 83 race wins leave him tied with another Hall of Famer, Cale Yarborough, for sixth all-time — and only one win behind two more Hall of Famers, Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip, who are tied for fourth all-time.
Crew chief chemistry
Johnson has shared his staggering success through the years with the same crew chief, Chad Knaus (right).
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Potential shown
Johnson first started flashing his potential when he won the Bud Shootout exhibition race just before the start of the 2005 season.
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Determined
Johnson’s determination and dedication surfaced very early in his career, marked by three wins in his first full-time Cup season.
He finished fifth in points as a rookie in 2002, second in both 2003 and 2004, and fifth again in 2005 before breaking through for his first title.
Exhibition expert
Johnson captured the first of his record four victories in what came to be known as the NASCAR All-Star Race — then known as The Winston — in 2003.
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Still an All-Star
Johnson’s most recent All-Star Race triumph came in 2013.
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Favorite track
Johnson’s favorite track is Dover International Speedway, a.k.a. the Monster Mile, where he owns a record 11 wins.
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Sense of humor
Johnson also deserves points for his dry, understated, down-to-earth and often self-deprecating sense of humor, which he displayed after this race victory at the 1-mile concrete track that is Dover.
Patrick McDermott
Another favorite
Johnson also has a strong affinity for Martinsville Speedway, a .526-mile short track where he owns nine career wins.
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Clocking the competition
Every time he goes to Victory Lane at Martinsville, Johnson is awarded a Grandfather clock. He celebrated his latest in 2016.
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Texas toast
Johnson owns seven career wins at Texas Motor Speedway, one of five tracks where he has gone to Victory Lane five times or more — with the others being the aforementioned Dover and Martsinville, along with Fontana (six) and Atlanta (five).
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King of rings
Johnson had a little fun in Victory Lane after collecting yet another ring — and trophy — in 2013.
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Gatorade bath
Johnson has learned to be prepared for the traditional Gatorade celebration bath — most of the time. This time, we’re not sure he was ready for it.
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Giving back
Johnson, often along with Knaus, spends much of his time away from the track involved in philanthropic efforts designed to help others, especially youth.
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Spongebob special
Johnson has been no slouch at Kansas Speedway, where he owns three wins and three poles — and has finished in the top 10 in 17 of 22 career starts.
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Superman?
Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., was the site of arguably the most “super” win of Johnson’s storied career. He wore a Superman-themed fire suit and drove the No. 48 that was decked out in a Superman-themed paint scheme in 2016 for his sixth career victory at the 2-mile track.
Fun in Phoenix
More evidence that Johnson is adept at every type of track is his record at Phoenix International Raceway, where he has four wins, 15 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 28 career starts in the No. 48.
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Have trophy, will travel
Johnson has been able to take the NASCAR Premier Series trophy lots of interesting places, including the top of the Empire State building.
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The King and his court
Johnson loves spending time with his family, which includes wife Chandra and daughters Lydia and Genevieve.
Quality family time
Of course, there is no better place to spend quality time with the family than in Victory Lane. They’ve celebrated together there often.
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Loving Las Vegas
Every time he wins a championship, Johnson is feted during Champions Week in Las Vegas, where he enjoys himself immensely.
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Better half
Johnson often credits his wife, Chandra, with keeping him grounded.
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Still hungry
Johnson said he signed his latest contract extension because he’s still hungry to chase more wins and more championships, which means he’s likely to rewrite a large chunk of NASCAR history before he’s done.
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Terrific teammate
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (left) and other current and former Hendrick Motorsports teammates have often credited Johnson with helping them both on and off the track.
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White House visit
Johnson visits with President George W. Bush after winning one of his first titles.
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Making it a habit
By the time Johnson and his wife Chandra made the White House rounds with President Barack Obama, it had become a routine habit.
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Homage to Mr. Hendrick
Johnson often says he owes much of his career to Rick Hendrick (left), owner of Hendrick Motorsports.
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Eye for talent
Johnson also says he owes much of his career to former Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon (right), who first recommended to Hendrick (center) that he hire Johnson as a driver.
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Title No. 1
Johnson celebrates his first championship in 2006.
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Title No. 2
Johnson celebrates winning title No. 2 back-to-back in 2007.
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Third in a row
Johnson took the championship trophy to New York City after winning his third in a row in 2008. The only other NASCAR driver ever to win three straight titles is Cale Yarborough.
Make it four
Johnson kept rolling with a fourth consecutive title in 2009. No other other NASCAR driver has ever won more than three in a row.
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Beach bums
Classic photo of Johnson and Knaus on South Beach in Miami, Florida, after securing their fifth championship in a row together the previous evening at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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No. 6
After a two-year break that must have seemed like an eternity to Johnson, he won title No. 6 and took the trophy with him to Las Vegas to celebrate in 2013.
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Leaping for joy
Johnson leaps for joy after securing his seventh title at Homestead.
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Tying the record
Among those helping Johnson celebrate his seventh championship in Victory Lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway was NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France (to the immediate right of Johnson).
No. 7
Johnson and his No. 48 team, plus his family, signal skyward in appreciation of title No. 7.
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Line ’em up
Johnson with his seven Cup championship trophies.
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Bright future ahead
With the contract extension now in place, who knows what’s next for Johnson — but he’s looking ahead to a future that remains very bright.
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