Jimmie Johnson is not only one of the greatest racecar drivers of the modern era - but he is also one of the most accomplished professional athletes in sports. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Johnson remains the only racecar driver in history to be named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year (2009). He continually defies critics, while chasing his aspirations and dreams with grace, humility, and class. Throughout Johnson’s storied career, he and the No. 48 team of Hendrick Motorsports recorded 83 wins in 686 starts, tying him with his childhood hero, Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time wins list. He shares the record of seven championship titles with NASCAR Hall of Fame legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Johnson was the “MVP” in of one of the greatest championship runs ever seen in sports as the No. 48 team won five titles in a row, recording 35 wins from 2006 to 2010. He also won the 2013 NASCAR Cup Series championship and his seventh - and final - historic championship came at the conclusion of the 2016 season. His legacy in NASCAR will transcend generations.
Always an advocate for wellness, Johnson set the standard for racecar drivers and athleticism. On April 15, 2019, just hours after racing 400-miles at Richmond (Va.), Raceway, Johnson competed in the world-famous Boston Marathon with a remarkable finishing time of 3:09:07.
At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Johnson stepped away from full-time competition; however, the 49-year-old native of El Cajon, Calif., did not sit still very long. Johnson continues to break new ground daily with his accomplishments both on and off the track.
Shortly after Johnson’s final full-time season in NASCAR, he spent two seasons fulfilling his childhood dreams of racing open wheel cars in the INDYCAR Series. Johnson competed with 16-time championship winning team Chip Ganassi Racing, where he raced in the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 and was named the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.
At the conclusion of the 2022 season Johnson returned ‘home’ to NASCAR with race team Petty GMS, announcing Johnson entered into an ownership agreement with entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” Gallagher and the original founder of the team, Richard Petty “The King”. In January 2023, the team was renamed to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. The CLUB competes with the Nos. 42 and 43 Toyota entries and a part-time schedule for Johnson in the No. 84.
On June 11, 2023, Johnson checked another item off his racing bucket list by competing as one of three world-class drivers in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans with Hendrick Motorsports/ NASCAR Garage 56 project, in a modified version of the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro. Johnson is no stranger to endurance racing, as he has participated in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a 24-hour endurance race, multiple times, including in 2004, 2005, and a five-year streak from 2007-2011, with his best finish being second in 2005, 2008, and 2021.
In 2024, Johnson was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame for his record-breaking accomplishments on the track throughout his illustrious career.
While racing a limited schedule in 2025, Johnson accomplished a third-place podium finish in the series season-opener DAYTONA 500. Also, he became the majority owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in partnership with Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. On May 25, 2025, Johnson will make his 700th NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the place where he won eight times and where he made his first career start on Oct. 7, 2021.
Johnson and wife Chandra are co-founders of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation (JJF), which focuses on K-12 public education. The JJF has contributed more than $13 million to organizations and schools in need across the U.S., since its inception in 2006. Johnson has published two books throughout his career; On the Road and One More Lap: Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48. Johnson is a podcast host, (Never Settle with Jimmie Johnson and Marty Smith), co-owner of Happenstance Media Co.; investor in various businesses; and enjoys fitness, skiing and art. The Johnson’s reside in Charlotte, N.C., with daughters Genevieve and Lydia.
