Here’s How NASCAR Hall Of Fame Inductee Jimmie Johnson Can Make Racing History This Season
Jimmie Johnson is a living legend whose story is still being written.
The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 19 with his longtime crew chief Chad Knaus and racing great Davey Allison. Janet Guthrie also received the Landmark Award to celebrate her barrier-breaking career in the sport.
But while Johnson retired from full-time racing to become co-owner of the Legacy Motor Club team, he’s not done going for wins behind the wheel.
The 48-year-old is entered in this season’s Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the championship race at Phoenix in a Legacy M.C. Toyota.
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A win in any of the races will give him 84 career victories, which would match his car number, move him ahead of the late Cale Yarborough into fifth on the all-time wins list and achieve something no driver ever has. Johnson would become the first NASCAR Hall of Fame member to win a Cup Series race after being inducted.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame is relatively young among sports. It had its inaugural class in 2010 and most of the inductees were far past their racing careers.
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Recently honored drivers Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth are still part-time racers in various series, but none have been to a Cup Series victory lane since being inducted.
Johnson is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and a four-time Brickyard 400 winner, so his chances at both tracks are pretty good.
That’s assuming Legacy M.C.’s switch from Chevrolet to Toyota goes smoothly. The Daytona 500 will mark the first time Johnson has entered a NASCAR race in anything other than a Chevrolet.
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