History of Jimmie Johnson in Timeline

Jimmie Johnson is a highly accomplished American stock car racing driver and team owner. Known for his exceptional skill and consistency, he holds seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, a feat matched only by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. His remarkable achievement includes winning five consecutive titles. Johnson currently competes part-time in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, his career has been marked by significant success and lasting impact on the sport.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

September 17, 1975: Jimmie Johnson's Birth

On September 17, 1975, Jimmie Kenneth Johnson, an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner, was born.

Others born on this day/year

1975: Third Driver to Make Up Points to Win Title Since 1975

In 2010, Johnson became the third driver since 1975 to make up points and win the championship.

1980: Started racing motorcycles

In 1980, Jimmie Johnson started racing motorcycles at the age of four.

1982: Sweeping both Daytona races

In 2013, Jimmie Johnson became the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both Daytona races in a season.

1991: Butch used by Larry Ragland in wins such as the 1991 Baja 1000

The Trophy Truck, Butch, was used by Larry Ragland in wins such as the 1991 Baja 1000.

1993: Opportunity to drive for Herb Fishel

In 1993, Jimmie Johnson was offered an opportunity to drive for Herb Fishel, but he declined and continued racing buggies and trucks.

1994: Loy Allen Jr. earned pole position for the Daytona 500

Loy Allen Jr. earned pole position for the Daytona 500 in 1994.

1995: Wrecked in the Baja 1000

In the 1995 Baja 1000, Jimmie Johnson wrecked his Trophy Truck, named Butch, after leading for over 900 miles.

1996: Drove for Herzog Motorsports

In 1996, Jimmie Johnson drove for Herzog Motorsports in the off-road truck series.

1997: Began racing on asphalt ovals

In 1997, Jimmie Johnson began racing on asphalt ovals in the American Speed Association (ASA).

1997: Progressed to SODA's Class 8

In 1997, Jimmie Johnson progressed to SODA's Class 8, racing two-wheel-drive Trophy Trucks.

1997: Mike Skinner earned pole position for the Daytona 500

Mike Skinner earned pole position for the Daytona 500 in 1997.

1998: Started Stock Car Racing

In 1998, Jimmie Johnson and his team, Herzog Motorsports, started stock car racing.

1998: NASCAR Busch Series debut

In 1998, Jimmie Johnson made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park, finishing 25th.

1998: Won ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie title

In 1998, Jimmie Johnson won the ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie title.

1999: Continued limited slate in Busch Series

In 1999, Jimmie Johnson continued his limited schedule in the NASCAR Busch Series with Herzog Motorsports.

1999: Tony Stewart set rookie record with three wins

In 1999, Tony Stewart set the rookie record with three wins.

2000: Moved to NASCAR Busch Series

In 2000, Jimmie Johnson and Herzog Motorsports moved their operations to the NASCAR Busch Series (now O'Reilly Auto Parts Series).

2000: Connected with Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon

In 2000, Jimmie Johnson connected with Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon, which led to him joining Hendrick Motorsports.

2000: Full-time schedule in Busch Series

In 2000, Jimmie Johnson moved to a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Busch Series.

2001: First win at Chicagoland Speedway

In 2001, Jimmie Johnson secured one win at Chicagoland Speedway, and finished eighth in the point standings in the NASCAR Busch Series.

2002: Moved to Hendrick Motorsports

In 2002, Jimmie Johnson formally moved to Hendrick Motorsports, driving the No. 48 Lowe's-sponsored Chevrolet.

2002: Began full-time racing in the Winston Cup Series

In 2002, Jimmie Johnson started racing full-time in the Winston Cup Series, earning his first pole position at the Daytona 500. He also secured his first career win at the NAPA Auto Parts 500.

2002: Signed with Hendrick Motorsports for Winston Cup Series

In 2002, Jimmie Johnson was signed by Hendrick Motorsports to drive full-time in the Winston Cup Series, with Jeff Gordon as a part-owner of his car.

2002: Full-Time Racing Since 2002

Jimmie Johnson had his then career-worst fourteenth in the final point standings since running full-time in 2002.

2003: Finished second in the final standings

In 2003, Jimmie Johnson finished second in the final standings and won the All-Star race for the first time.

2003: Finished second in points

In 2003, Jimmie Johnson finished second in the points standings in the Winston Cup Series.

2003: Featured on NASCAR Racing 2003 Season Cover

In 2003, Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet was featured on the cover of NASCAR Racing 2003 Season alongside Kevin Harvick.

2003: Closest Margin of Victory

In 2011, Jimmie Johnson's win at the Aaron's 499 tied the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 for the closest margin of victory in NASCAR history.

October 24, 2004: Victory Marred by Tragedy

On October 24, 2004, Jimmie Johnson won the Subway 500 at Martinsville, a victory marred by the tragic death of owner Rick Hendrick's family members and key personnel in an airplane crash. Johnson finished second in the point standings that year.

2004: Finished second in points again

In 2004, Jimmie Johnson finished second in the points standings for the second year in a row.

2004: Sweeping Pocono Races

In 2004, Jimmie Johnson had swept both of the track's 2004 NASCAR Cup Series races.

2004: Chase for the Championship Qualification

In 2004, Jimmie Johnson qualified for the Chase for the Championship. 2004 was the first year of the chase.

2005: Finished fifth in points

In 2005, Jimmie Johnson finished fifth in the points standings in the Winston Cup Series.

2005: Won the Coca-Cola 600

In 2005, Jimmie Johnson won the Coca-Cola 600. Johnson finished fifth in points after crashing at the midway point of the event due to a tire problem.

2005: Tony Stewart's Championship

In 2005, Tony Stewart won the NASCAR Championship, marking the first time since 2005 that someone other than Jimmie Johnson was the champion.

2006: First Cup Series Championship

In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won his first Cup Series championship.

2006: First Daytona 500 Win

In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won his first Daytona 500 with Darian Grubb as crew chief, as Chad Knaus was serving a suspension.

2006: Won the Daytona 500 and First Championship Title

In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500 and went on to secure his first NASCAR championship title. He also won the 2006 Driver of the Year Award in December.

December 2007: Commenced exercise program

In December 2007, Jimmie Johnson began an exercise program supervised by John Sitaras to improve his strength and balance.

2007: Second Consecutive Championship

In 2007, Jimmie Johnson secured his second consecutive championship title and was named the 2007 Driver of the Year.

2008: Third Cup Series Championship

In 2008, Jimmie Johnson secured his third consecutive Cup Series championship.

2008: Third Consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Championship

In 2008, Jimmie Johnson secured his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. He achieved a career-high of six poles, won seven races, achieved fifteen top-five finishes, and twenty-two top-ten finishes. This season also marked his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

2009: Fourth Consecutive Championship

In 2009, Jimmie Johnson achieved his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship, a feat unmatched by any other driver. Throughout the 2009 season, he secured seven race wins, four pole positions, sixteen top-five finishes, and twenty-four top-ten finishes.

2009: Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year

In 2009, Jimmie Johnson was named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, the first racing driver to receive this honor.

2010: Last Bristol Win Until 2017

In 2010, Jimmie Johnson had won at Bristol which was his last win at The Last Great Coliseum until his victory in 2017.

2010: Fifth Consecutive Cup Series Championship

In 2010, Jimmie Johnson made history by winning his fifth consecutive Cup Series championship.

2010: Playable car in Gran Turismo 5

In 2010, Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet Impala was featured as one of the twelve playable NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock cars in the racing video game Gran Turismo 5.

2011: Fourth Place Finish in Budweiser Shootout

In 2011, Jimmie Johnson started the season with a fourth-place finish in the Budweiser Shootout. He then finished 27th in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a crash on lap 29 of the 2011 Daytona 500.

2011: Featured in Jimmie Johnson's Anything with an Engine

In 2011, Jimmie Johnson was featured in the racing video game Jimmie Johnson's Anything with an Engine.

2011: 2011 car added to Gran Turismo 5

In 2011, Jimmie Johnson's 2011 car was added to Gran Turismo 5 in the Spec II update of the game.

2011: Featured on NASCAR The Game: 2011 Cover

In 2011, Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet was featured on the cover of NASCAR The Game: 2011.

2011: Previous Top-Five Finish at Auto Club Speedway

In 2016, Jimmie Johnson's Auto Club 400 win marked his first top-five finish at the Auto Club Speedway since 2011.

2011: Finished sixth in the points standings

In the 2011 season, Jimmie Johnson finished sixth in the points standings.

2011: Aaron's 499 Win and Challenging Season

The 2011 season was statistically one of Johnson's worst, despite finishing sixth in points. He won the Aaron's 499 at Talladega with a close finish. He finished 27th at the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 after spinning out and flattening tires.

April 22, 2012: Third-Place Finish at STP 400

On April 22, 2012, Jimmie Johnson secured a third-place finish in the STP 400 at Kansas.

May 6, 2012: Aaron's 499 at Talladega

On May 6, 2012, Jimmie Johnson started nineteenth in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, but finished 35th due to a broken oil pump belt.

2012: Crashed out of both Daytona races in 2012

In 2012, Jimmie Johnson crashed out of both Daytona races.

2012: Finished third in the points standings

In 2012, Jimmie Johnson finished third in the points standings before winning his sixth championship.

2012: Victories and Accomplishments in 2012

In 2012, Jimmie Johnson won the Bojangles' Southern 500, marking Rick Hendrick's 200th NASCAR Cup Series win. He also matched Gordon and Dale Earnhardt with three wins in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and won the FedEx 400.

2013: Record Fourth All-Star Race Win and Pocono Victory

In 2013, Jimmie Johnson secured a record fourth NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race win. He later won at Pocono, ending a nine-year winless streak since sweeping both of the track's 2004 NASCAR Cup Series races.

2013: Second Daytona 500 Win

In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won his second Daytona 500, marking his first win at the event with Knaus. Prior to the 2013 Daytona 500 win, Johnson had not finished better than 27th in the Daytona 500 since his 2006 win.

2013: Sixth Cup Series Championship

In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won his sixth Cup Series championship and the Daytona 500.

2013: 2013 car featured in Gran Turismo 6

In 2013, Jimmie Johnson's 2013 car was featured in the video game Gran Turismo 6.

2014: Coca-Cola 600 Win and Thirteenth Back-to-Back Wins

In 2014, Jimmie Johnson won the Coca-Cola 600, his first win in the race since 2005, and then won at Dover the following week, making it the thirteenth time he had back-to-back wins.

2016: Cameo in The Avett Brothers' "Ain't No Man" music video

In 2016, Jimmie Johnson made a cameo appearance as a pilot in the music video for The Avett Brothers' song "Ain't No Man", which was the lead single from their album True Sadness.

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2016: 76th Career Win and Auto Club 400 Victory

In 2016, Jimmie Johnson secured his 76th career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, tying Dale Earnhardt for seventh on the all-time wins list. He also won the Auto Club 400, marking his first top-five finish at the Auto Club Speedway since 2011.

2016: Seventh Cup Series Championship

In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won his seventh Cup Series championship, tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most all-time.

2016: Playable in Forza Motorsport 6 NASCAR expansion pack

In 2016, Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 was playable in Forza Motorsport 6 via the NASCAR expansion pack, which featured twenty-four paint schemes from the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season. Johnson also provided commentary in the expansion and helped develop it.

2016: First Pole Since 2016

On March 29 in 2019 at Texas, Johnson earned his first pole since 2016.

2017: Recorded seven championships, 83 career race wins

By 2017, Jimmie Johnson had recorded seven championships and 83 career race wins.

2017: Slump during the summer part of the season

During the summer of 2017, Johnson experienced a slump, failing to secure a top-five finish and achieving only three top-ten finishes. In the 2017 Brickyard 400, his Lowes-sponsored Chevrolet was involved in a significant wreck. The following week, he had another incident with teammate Kasey Kahne, resulting in a second consecutive DNF.

2017: 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Season

In 2017, Jimmie Johnson entered as the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion. He secured back-to-back wins at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 in Texas and the Food City 500 at Bristol. This marked the fourteenth and final time in his career that he achieved back-to-back wins. He also collided with his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr, leading to a flat tire and spin for Earnhardt.

March 14, 2018: Lowe's Ends Sponsorship

On March 14, 2018, Lowe's announced it would end its sponsorship of the No. 48 car after the 2018 season.

2018: Wrecks in Speedweeks and Struggles Throughout 2018 Season

In 2018, Johnson had a rough Speedweeks, wrecking in all three races. He wrecked in the Advance Auto Parts Clash on the last lap. He struggled throughout the season, barely making the Playoffs. He spun out of control at the Charlotte Roval race, taking out Martin Truex Jr. and finishing eighth and was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished the season winless for the first time in his career.

2018: Top 5 Since 2018 Coca-Cola 600

In 2019, Jimmie Johnson scored his first Top 5 finish since the 2018 Coca-Cola 600.

July 29, 2019: Crew Chief Change

On July 29, 2019, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Cliff Daniels would replace Kevin Meendering as the crew chief of the No. 48 team.

September 2019: Missed Playoffs

In September 2019, Johnson missed the playoffs cut for the first time in his NASCAR career after finishing 35th in the Brickyard 400 due to a crash.

October 4, 2019: Ally Extends Sponsorship

On October 4, 2019, Ally extended its sponsorship of the No. 48 car for three more years through the 2023 season.

November 20, 2019: Announcement of Final Full-Time Season

On November 20, 2019, Johnson announced that the 2020 Cup season would be his last full-time season of racing.

2019: Ally Financial Sponsorship and New Crew Chief

In 2019, Ally Financial became the primary sponsor of the team on a two-year deal. Johnson also parted ways with crew chief Knaus and was paired with Kevin Meendering for the 2019 season.

2019: 2019 Season

In 2019, Johnson won the Advance Auto Parts Clash. He finished ninth in the Daytona 500 and had a strong performance at Texas Motor Speedway, earning his first pole since 2016. He secured several top-five and top-ten finishes throughout the season, including a third-place finish at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

2019: Throwback for Johnson's 48 car in the Southern 500

In 2019, Johnson's 48 car used Butch's (Trophy Truck) paint scheme, a throwback for Johnson's 48 car in the Southern 500.

July 3, 2020: Positive Coronavirus Test

On July 3, 2020, Johnson announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing him to miss the Brickyard 400 race. Justin Allgaier took over the No. 48 car. This snapped a 663-race streak in which Johnson started a Cup event.

July 8, 2020: Cleared to Return

On July 8, 2020, Johnson was cleared to return to racing after testing negative twice for the coronavirus.

2020: Special Scheme

During the fall Texas race of 2020, Johnson ran a special scheme created by designer Noah Sweet (Lefty Designs), featuring pride flag colors, after Sweet had faced harassment for a mock design earlier in June. The car ran in the 2020 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500, finishing 36th due to engine issues.

2020: Highest Finish Since 2020

In 2025, Johnson's finish at Daytona was his highest finish since the 2020 Drydene 311 doubleheader at Dover.

2021: Competed in the IndyCar Series

In 2021, Jimmie Johnson began competing in the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.

November 4, 2022: Ownership Stake and Part-Time Return

On November 4, 2022, Johnson purchased an ownership stake in Petty GMS Motorsports. He also announced his return to the Cup Series on a part-time basis in 2023.

2022: Appeared in Barmageddon with Clint Bowyer

In 2022, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer competed against each other on season one, episode 3 of "Barmageddon", which featured the show’s competition format.

2022: Continued in the IndyCar Series

In 2022, Jimmie Johnson continued to compete in the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.

January 11, 2023: Team Rebranded

On January 11, 2023, Petty GMS Motorsports was rebranded as Legacy Motor Club, and Johnson was announced to be running the No. 84.

February 14, 2023: Daytona 500 Entry

On February 14, 2023, Johnson made the Daytona 500 entry field by scoring the fastest lap among the non-chartered teams. Johnson finished 31st after being involved in an overtime crash.

June 26, 2023: Tragedy involving Johnson's in-laws

On June 26, 2023, Jimmie Johnson's in-laws were involved in a possible murder-suicide at their house in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

June 27, 2023: Withdrawal from Chicago Race

On June 27, 2023, Legacy Motor Club announced they would withdraw Jimmie Johnson's entry from the Chicago street course race due to the tragedy involving his in-laws.

2024: 2024 Part-Time Season

In 2024, Johnson started his part-time season with a 28th-place finish at the Daytona 500. He raced in several other races, and on July 26, Legacy Motor Club released crew chief Jason Burdett and several members of the No. 84 team.

2024: Previous Best Finish in Next Gen Cars

In 2025, Johnson's previous best finish in Next Gen cars was 26th at the 2024 season finale at Phoenix.

January 27, 2025: Majority Owner of Legacy Motor Club

On January 27, 2025, Johnson was named majority owner of Legacy Motor Club, with Knighthead Capital Management purchasing a minority stake.

2025: Shane van Gisbergen surpassed rookie record of wins

Shane van Gisbergen surpassed the rookie record of wins in 2025, winning four times.

2026: 2026 Season Plans

For the 2026 season, Johnson made the starting grid of the 2026 Daytona 500 after applying for the Open Exemption Provisional. He is also scheduled to run the Coronado street race.