#48 Team Past News and Rumors

2008 News

  • Johnson wins at Phoenix: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500(k) at Phoenix International Raceway for his 7th win of the season and the 40th of his career after a Green-White-Checkered finish [added 1 lap]. Johnson just needs to finish 36th at Homestead win win his 3rd Sprint Cup Championship. #2-Busch finishing 2nd followed by #26-McMurray, #99-Edwards, #11-Hamlin, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #29-Harvick, #18-Busch, #31-Burton and #6-Ragan. There were 10 cautions for 55 yellow flag laps [and 2 red flags, one for rain and one for a big wreck] and 9 lead changes among 5 drivers.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Phoenix Race Results Awards Page.(11-9-2008)

  • Layoffs at Hendrick, Johnson's spotter included: During a modest round of layoffs Monday and Tuesday at Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson's spotter, Stevie Reeves, was told he would not return to the #48 Lowe's Chevy team next season, Reeves confirmed Tuesday night. Reeves and the Hendrick organization part on good terms. The spotter, who helped guide Johnson to his second consecutive Sprint Cup championship in 2007, has already been contacted by other teams and is weighing his options. "They wanted to give me plenty of time to find something before Homestead and not leave me hanging high and dry," said Reeves, who will spot the final two races of the season for Johnson as he attempts to win a record-tying third straight championship. "Rick Hendrick knows how to treat people, and that's what makes him so successful. Jimmie Johnson is a class act, and the only thing I regret is that I won't be working with him next year, but I'm going to land on my feet OK."(Sporting News)(11-5-2008)

  • Johnson on The Tonight Show: Back-to-back Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday, Nov. 6. The show airs at 11:35pm/et on NBC.

  • Yarborough resigned to sharing record with Johnson: When Cale Yarborough won a third-straight NASCAR title in 1978, he never expected that it would take 30 years for someone else to challenge that record. Now that two-time reigning Sprint Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson appears on the way to doing just that, Yarborough has mixed feelings about sharing the record that some thought was untouchable. "The handwriting's on the wall," Yarborough said Monday during a telephone news conference. "It's going to happen. I understand that I was Jimmie's hero when he was growing up, so if he does it more power to him," the longtime NASCAR star added. Then that old competitive streak that helped Yarborough to 83 race wins, including four Daytona 500s, showed itself. "That don't mean I'm pulling for him," Yarborough added, laughing. "But, if he does it, I'll be in good company. I hope he feels the same way." While the 32-year-old Johnson has not finished worse than fifth in the points since he became a full-time Cup driver in 2002, Yarborough's best years didn't come until he got a full-time ride with Richard Howard in 1973 at the age of 34. The driver from South Carolina finished second for two straight years driving for Howard before going to work for Junior Johnson in 1975. He finished ninth that first year with Johnson before beginning his unprecedented string of championship in 1976. Yarborough stayed with Johnson for two more seasons, finishing fourth in the points in 1979 and losing the title to Dale Earnhardt by just 19 points in 1980. That was his last full season of racing before cutting his schedule to spend more time with his family. One major difference between the years when Yarborough won his titles and the current era is the points format. In his day, everyone raced for the same points throughout the season. Since 2004, the Cup title has been decided by the Chase, with a small group of drivers who spent 26 races making themselves eligible for the postseason competing for the championship over the final 10 races of the season. "I think it may have been harder to win (championships) back then than it is today because you had to compete against everybody," Yarborough said. Asked if he would have to change his style if he was racing today, Yarborough said, "I never was one to do much calculating. I went all out every lap I ever raced in my whole career. I'd still be doing it today. The only thing I can say is Jimmie better be glad I'm not racing with him today."(Associated Press/ESPN)(10-21-2008)

  • Johnson wins at Martinsville: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the TUMS Quickpak 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 6th win of the season, 5th win at Martinsville, 8th short track win and the 39th of his career. Johnson held off #88-Earnhardt Jr. after a green-white-checkered finish, #88-Earnhardt Jr. finished 2nd followed by #99-Edwards, #24-Gordon, #11-Hamlin, #5-Mears, #29-Harvick, #17-Kenseth, #07-Bowyer and #1-Truex Jr.. #84-Scott Speed finished 30th in his Sprint Cup debut. There were 12 cautions for 76 laps and 14 lead changes among 7 leaders.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Martinsville Race Results Awards Page.
    See Chase and Classic Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Martinsville.(10-19-2008)

  • Career start #250 for Johnson, special scheme: #48-Jimmie Johnson will make his 250th Cup Series start when he takes the green flag for Saturday’s Sprint Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. To commemorate the event, Johnson will be debuting the 2009 #48 Lowe’s Impala SS paint scheme, which will carry a special decal honoring Johnson’s 250th start on the decklid during Saturday night’s event. “I can’t believe this weekend is my 250th start,” said Johnson. “I've been very lucky in my career that I've had one sponsor, Lowe's, since I started racing in the Sprint Cup Series. It somehow seems fitting that we'll be able to celebrate the occasion together at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.” Starting in the Sprint Cup Series with Hendrick Motorsports in 2001, Johnson has collected 38 wins, 98 top-five and 152 top-10 finishes heading into this weekend’s race. Lowe’s has been the primary sponsor on Johnson’s Chevy since he entered the series.(Lowe's Racing) see an image of the car on my #48 Team Schemes page.(10-8-2008)

  • Johnson wins at Kansas: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway for his 5th win of the season and the 38th of his career. He held off #99-Carl Edwards, who made a brief pass on the last lap and then slid up into the wall and fell back to second at the finish. #16-Biffle finished third, followed by #24-Gordon, #17-Kenseth, #29-Harvick, #31-Burton, #6-Ragan, #84-Allmendinger, and #19- Sadler. Other chase drivers: #11-Hamlin was 11th, #07-Bowyer 12th, and #88-Earnhardt Jr 13th. #18-Busch fought mechanical problems early and finished 28th, #20-Stewart spun through the grass, breaking the splitter, and later had to pit under green to fix it, finishing 40th. There were 7 cautions for 25 laps and 16 lead changes among 10 leaders.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Kansas Race Results Awards Page.
    See Chase and Classic Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Kansas page.(9-28-2008)

  • Lowe's Racing for Relief Update - Dover Results: #48-Jimmie Johnson’s efforts on the track this weekend raised $19,200 to benefit the American Red Cross as part of Lowe’s Racing for Relief program. The $19,200 represents Lowe’s pledge of $48 per lap completed. Johnson finished fifth and completed 400 laps during Sunday's Camping World RV 400 at Dover International Speedway. Funds raised will help to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of Hurricane Ike and other 2008 hurricanes. Anyone interested in making a donation to the American Red Cross may visit participating Lowe’s stores, donate online at www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).(Lowe's Racing PR)(9-23-2008)

  • Lowe’s Activates ‘Racing for Relief’ in Dover: In response to Hurricane Ike, Lowe’s and #48-Jimmie Johnson will be “Racing for Relief” at the Dover International Speedway this weekend to raise funds for the American Red Cross. Funds raised will help to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of Hurricane Ike and other 2008 hurricanes. As part of Racing for Relief, the Red Cross logo will be displayed on the deck lid of the #48 Lowe’s Impala SS. Lowe’s will donate $48 for every lap of the scheduled 400 laps [could total $19,200] that Johnson completes in the Dover 400 at the Dover International Speedway on September 21. In addition, if Johnson wins the race, Lowe’s will donate an additional $4,800. Funds raised through Lowe’s Racing for Relief will supplement an existing $1 million Lowe’s donation to the American Red Cross. More than 1,575 Lowe’s stores nationwide are serving as official cash donation sites to benefit the American Red Cross relief efforts throughout the 2008 hurricane season. Lowe’s will match in-store contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to $250,000. Since partnering with the Red Cross in 1999, Lowe’s has raised more than $17.5 million for disaster relief. Anyone interested in making a donation to the American Red Cross may visit participating Lowe’s stores, donate online at www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).(Team Lowe's PR)(9-18-2008)

  • Johnson testing at Nashville: After his win Sunday afternoon at Richmond, #48-Jimmie Johnson rolled into the Nashville Superspeedway this morning [9/8] at 10am for a team test. Johnson will be in Nashville for a one-day test.(Nashville Superspeedway PR), no word if the test is open to the public.(9-8-2008)

  • Johnson wins at Richmond: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, after the race was delayed a day due to tropical storm Hanna. #48-Johnson won for the 2nd race in a row, 4th win of the season for Johnson and 37th of his career. #20-Stewart finished 2nd [and was not happy he didn't win], followed by #11-Hamlin, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #8-Martin, #31-Burton, #29-Harvick, #24-Gordon, #44-Reutimann [ties his career best from last weekend] and #2-Busch. #07-Bowyer finished 12th and beat #9-Kahne [19th] and #6-Ragan [32nd], to grab the final spot in The Chase. There were 22 lead changes among 10 drivers and 14 cautions for 71 caution laps.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Richmond Race Results Awards Page
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Richmond page.(9-7-2008)

  • Johnson wins at California: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway for his 3rd win of 2008 and 36th of his career. Starting from the pole, he dominated throughout the race, leading 227 laps. It was the first time a driver has won the California race from the pole. #16-Biffle finished 2nd followed by #11-Hamlin, #29-Harvick, #17-Kenseth #99-Edwards, #18-Busch, #9-Kahne, #44-Reutimann, and #07-Bowyer. #88-Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th. The battle to make the Chase remained unchanged with #6-Ragan and #9-Kahne still trying to get into the top 12. #48-Johnson, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., and #31-Burton locked themselves into the chase. #16-Biffle only needs to start at Richmond to be locked in. There were 22 lead changes among 9 drivers and 8 cautions for 34 caution laps.
    For race results, awards and more, see my California Race Results Awards Page
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after California page.(8-31-2008)

  • Johnson to appear on Regis and Kelly: #48-Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to be on "Live with Regis and Kelly" this Friday, August 1st. Johnson will be participating in the show's special segment of Grilling with the Stars and talking about Jimmie Johnson Foundation events. Check local listings for channels and times.(JJF PR)(7-31-2008)

  • Indy win pushes Johnson's Racing for Relief over $25,000: #48-Jimmie Johnson's efforts on the track this weekend raised $12,480, which includes $4,800 for a victory finish, to benefit the American Red Cross as part of Lowe's Racing for Relief program. After nearly three and a half hours, Johnson completed 160 laps at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Sunday. The $12,480 is in addition to the $12,816 raised earlier this month during the race at Chicagoland, pushing the total Lowe's will donate to the Red Cross to more than $25,000. Lowe's had pledged $48 per lap completed for both races and an additional $4,800 for either race if Johnson finished in first place. The funds raised will help the Red Cross to provide food, clean-up supplies, counseling and other assistance to victims of the recent Central U.S. floods and tornadoes.
    In addition to Racing for Relief, Lowe's stores across the Midwest are serving as official cash donation sites for the United Way 2008 Midwest Flood Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts to areas devastated by the recent floods. The in-store donation program has been extended through August 3, 2008, with Lowe's matching in-store customer donations up to a total of $100,000. 70% of donations to the fund will help the Red Cross provide immediate needs such as food and shelter and 30% of the funds will support longer term relief efforts through local United Way partner agencies. Donations to the American Red Cross for the Central U.S. Floods and Tornadoes response may be made at participating Lowe's stores throughout the Midwest, online at www.redcross.org, or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.(Lowe's Racing PR)(7-31-2008)

  • Johnson to run Bristol truck race UPDATE: ESPN2's NASCAR Now reported that Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to drive the #81 Chevy for Randy Moss Motorsports in the Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It will be Johnson's first Truck Series race. Johnson wants to get more seat time at Bristol since he has never won there.(7-29-2008)
    UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson has announced he will make his CraftsmanTruck Series debut in the #81 Kobalt Tools Silverado fielded by Randy Moss Motorsports at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 20. “Watkins Glen and Bristol are two tracks where I really want a win,” said Johnson. “I enjoy racing at Watkins Glen and for some reason always seem to be a little better there than Sonoma. We’ve had some top fives so hopefully this will put us in the win column." He continued, “As for the trucks, I am really looking forward to that. I have never run a truck race so it should be fun. Heck, my brother Jarit has run more than me, but it’s going to be a good time. I’m excited to run Randy’s truck. Hopefully we can get them a good finish.”(Bristol Herald Courier)(7-30-2008)

  • Johnson wins at Indy: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his 2nd win at the track, 2nd of the season and 35th of his career. Johnson took the lead on a two-tire stop with 10 laps to go. The race was filled with tire-related problems on the track and many cautions for the teams to pit. #99-Edwards finished 2nd, followed by #11-Hamlin, #19-Sadler, #24-Gordon, #26-McMurray, #9-Kahne, #31-Burton and #84-Allmendinger [first career top-10]. There were 11 cautions for 52 laps and 26 lead changes among 16 drivers.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Indy Race Results Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Indy page.(7-27-2008)

  • Lowe's and #48 Team "Racing for Relief" in July: Lowe's and Jimmie Johnson will be "Racing for Relief" at the Chicago and Indianapolis races this month to raise funds for the American Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of the recent Central U.S. floods and tornadoes. As part of Racing for Relief, the Red Cross logo will be displayed on the deck lid of the#48 Lowe's Chevy. Lowe's will donate $48 for each lap Johnson completes in the Chicagoland 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway on July 12 and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In addition, if Johnson wins either race, Lowe's will donate $4,800 per victory.(GMR Marketing PR)(7-11-2008)
    UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson's efforts on the track raised $12,816 to benefit the American Red Cross as part of Lowe's Racing for Relief program. Johnson completed 267 laps at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Lowe's had pledged $48 per lap completed. The funds raised will help the Red Cross to provide food, clean-up supplies, counseling and other assistance to victims of the recent Central U.S. floods and tornadoes.(GMR Marketing PR)(7-23-2008)

  • Johnson wins Best Driver ESPY: Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion, earned his first ESPY award on Wednesday. The driver of the #48 Chevy was honored with the Best Driver ESPY award during the 16th annual ESPN-hosted sports award show at Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The award was determined by fans who voted online, and the competition was stiff. Johnson was competing for the fans' votes against current points leader Kyle Busch; 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti; 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon; Formula One standout Lewis Hamilton and four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. The ESPY Awards will be televised at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday on ESPN.(Hendrick Motorsports PR) (7-17-2008)

  • Johnson speaking in Washington DC: #48-Jimmie Johnson will be speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, July 8. The reigning Sprint Cup Series Champion will discuss his life experiences as a leading NASCAR driver and influential philanthropist.(GMR Marketing/Lowe's Racing PR)(7-8-2008)

  • Johnson foundation scheme returns at Calif: the 2008 Jimmie Johnson #48 Jimmie Johnson Foundation paint scheme is scheduled to run at the Auto Club Speedway in August. This is the second year that Johnson has used his home track to pay tribute to his foundation, which is dedicated to assisting children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. See an image of the car on my #48 Team Schemes page.(6-19-2008)

  • Hendrick streak intact: Hendrick Motorsports' streak of top-10 finishes improved to 77 Sprint Cup races after Sunday's event at Lowe's Motor Speedway when #24-Jeff Gordon took fourth and #88-Dale Earnhardt nabbed fifth. The last time a Hendrick driver wasn't in the top 10 was April 9, 2006. Finishing 11th, #48-Jimmy Johnson was Hendrick's top performer that day at Texas Motor Speedway.(HMS PR)(5-28-2008)

  • Johnson's car to honor troops: In honor of Memorial Day, Jimmy Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevy will feature a special "Salute the Troops" logo on its deck lid during Sunday's Sprint Cup Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(GMR Marketing PR)(5-21-2008)

  • Johnson and Montoya on QVC: Sprint Cup drivers #48-Jimmie Johnson and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya are scheduled to appear live on QVC For Race Fans Only with QVC on-air host and NASCAR enthusiast Dan Hughes, live from Talladega, Ala. For Race Fans Only will be broadcast Friday, April 25, 2008 from 8-10 pm/et.(QVC PR)(4-24-2008)

  • Johnson wins at Phoenix: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Subway Fresh Fit at Phoenix International Raceway for his 1st win of the 2008 season and 34th of his career [is now alone in 16th in all time wins]. #07-Clint Bowyer finished 2nd [Bowyer and Johnson stayed out and didn't get a late splash of fuel and made it...barely] then #11-Hamlin, #99-Edwards, #8-Martin, #31-Burton, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #1-Truex Jr., #16-Biffle and #18-Busch. The pole sitter, #12-Ryan Newman lost an engine early and finished last/43rd. There were only 10 lead changes among 4 drivers [Johnson, Martin, Earnhardt and Newman] and there were 8 caution flags for 42 laps.
    For race results, awards and more, see my Phoenix Race Results page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Phoenix page.(4-12-2008)

  • Johnson to unveil new 'Concourse of Champions' at TMS: Two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will officially christen Texas Motor Speedway’s new “Concourse of Champions” display Friday by unfurling his 2007 Dickies 500 champion’s banner on the frontstretch concourse. Johnson will join Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage for the debut of the Concourse of Champions, a display that will feature 8-foot-by-10-foot banners to celebrate every driver in the Sprint Cup Series and Indy Racing League IndyCar Series that has won at Texas Motor Speedway since it opened in 1997. The display will go the length of the concourse beneath the frontstretch grandstands, from Gate 1 to Gate 7, and consist of 32 banners of former champions. The event will begin at 10:40 a.m. Friday in the concourse area located at Gate 4 with a designated media area with Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, and Gossage. All the gates are scheduled to open at 11 a.m. CT Friday, but Texas Motor Speedway will be opening Gate 4 for ticketed fans who are interested in watching or photographing the event with the two-time series champion at 10:30 a.m. The first 200 fans who arrive early for the unveiling ceremony will receive a free Lowe’s key chain.(TMS)(4-3-2008)

  • Latest on the HMS engines: Jeff Andrews, head engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, said that the team sent all its race engines back to the team's race shop Wednesday night after finding problems with the lifters. Andrews said the engines were being rebuilt and would return to the track Friday night. "Because of the wear we were seeing ... you end up with this debris in the engine,'' Andrews said. "You have to take [the engine] apart. Not only are you changing those parts, but you're taking apart and cleaning, washing everything and going back through it and fitting everything up again." Andrews said he saw no problems with the Hendrick engines after Thursday's first qualifying race.(Roanoke Times)(2-16-2008) Comment here

  • Hendrick museum closes for renovations: The Hendrick Motorsports museum, located on the team's racing complex in Concord, has been temporarily closed to the public while it undergoes a full renovation. The redesigned facility will reopen in time for NASCAR's annual visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. Hendrick Motorsports is located one mile from the race track. Also undergoing a facelift is Hendrick Motorsports' team store, which will reopen in a temporary location on Jan. 28. The store will operate under its regular business hours in the race shop of drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson until construction on the new facility is completed. Other areas of the Hendrick Motorsports complex, including the team race shops, will remain open to the public during the museum renovation.(HMS Site)(1-25-2008) Comment here

  • Johnson Named NMPA Driver of the Year; Houston Named to Hall of Fame: There was little doubt about who was going to be chosen the National Motorsports Press Association's driver of the year for 2007. The question, instead, was whether Jimmie Johnson would personally accept the Richard Petty trophy. The answer, for the second year in a row, was no. Johnson, who repeated as NASCAR champion last season, was announced as 2007's top driver Sunday at a luncheon during the NMPA's annual convention. When he was unable to attend last year's awards presentation, Johnson videotaped an acceptance message. He did likewise this time, too, but the video wouldn't play. It's the third time in four years that Johnson was voted the NMPA driver of the year, and it was part of the spoils that went with a 10-win season by the 32-year-old native of El Cajon, Calif. Johnson is the fourth driver to win the NMPA award more than twice. Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough each captured the trophy three times, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. won it by himself four times and shared it with Tim Richmond in 1986. The trophy has been given annually by the media group since 1969.(Fayetteville Observer)
    AND: On Saturday night Tommy Houston, one of the truly significant figures in the history of what was previously known as the Busch Series, joined the National Motorsports Press Association's Stock Car Hall of Fame. Like most of the men honored by the NMPA, the honor clearly moved Houston. He basked in the attention, answered every question and went out of his way to be cooperative. Houston's last words to the audience -- the dinner was near Lowe's Motor Speedway at the Concord Convention Center and Embassy Suites hotel -- were, "Thank you for remembering me, and good night."(Gaston Gazette)(1-21-2008) Comment here

  • No urgency on Johnson extension with Hendrick: neither #48-Jimmie Johnson nor Hendrick Motorsports has much sense of urgency to extend a contract that expires after the 2010 season. "We want to race with Jimmie Johnson as long as Jimmie Johnson wants to be racing and we've had discussions around that," Hendrick general manager Marshall Carlson said. Carlson said discussions will "probably take their own pace," presumably, he said, because "the discussions have been, 'Hey, would you like to look into something long-term?' and there have been affirmatives on both sides." Hendrick Motorsports signed four-time champion Jeff Gordon to a lifetime driver contract in 1999, which included an equity stake in his and what became Johnson's team. He is officially listed as Johnson's car owner. "The sport has changed a lot since Jeff formed that deal with Rick," Johnson said. "It's hard for me to even think of that. It's nothing I've ever thought was possible. I certainly would look at that and would love that opportunity. I don't plan on going anywhere else. This is home for me. In a way, I feel like we already have that understanding." Lowe's sponsorship agreement with Hendrick for the #48 Chevrolet also expires after the 2010 season.(Yahoo Sports)(1-9-2008)

  • Johnson signs with CAA to broaden his appeal: #48-Jimmie Johnson has signed Creative Artists Agency to represent him in marketing, licensing and endorsement deals. Michael Levine, co-head of CAA Sports, will lead a team that will attempt to capitalize on Johnson's success on the track. Johnson's signing is the latest win for CAA Sports, which represents more than 350 athletes, including LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Sidney Crosby, LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and David Beckham. CAA Sports football agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra also last week signed Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in this year's NFL draft. In recent months, CAA Sports has signed the New York Yankees, the AVP Tour and MMA brand TapouT as well. Johnson considered eight agencies before selecting CAA Sports and Wasserman Media Group as his finalists.(Sporting News/SportsBusiness Journal)(1-8-2008)

  • Johnson wins 2007 Driver of the Year Award: #48-Jimmie Johnson crushed the competition for Driver of the Year - 2007, much like he trampled his rivals on the way to his second-straight Nextel Cup Series championship. It was also Johnson's second-consecutive title in the United States most prestigious award in auto racing because the voting is done by an elite panel of journalists and broadcasters from coast-to-coast. The California-born driver becomes only the third driver to achieve this honor after Darrell Waltrip (1981-1982) and teammate, Jeff Gordon (1997-1998). "I am truly humbled to be honored as Driver of the Year. I appreciate this award and the recognition from the press," said Johnson. He added "they watch every race and for them to think I did the best job is awesome!" About the only surprise was that the vote, while conclusive, wasn't unanimous. In the year-end ballot each panelist votes for only one candidate. Johnson tallied 14 votes, while Champ Car champion, Sebastien Bourdais, earned two votes, the World of Outlaws' - Donny Schatz - and Carl Edwards, a Cup regular and Busch Series champion, also received one vote apiece. Johnson, who also won the fourth quarter ballot, will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at a later date. Go to www.dotyaward.com to see a new website devoted to Driver of the Year news, opinions and reader comments.(DOTY PR)(1-7-2008)

  • New tire changers for Johnson in 2008: Jimmie Johnson said he expects to have two new tire changers with his Hendrick Motorsports team in 2008. Rear-tire carrier Ron Malec, the car chief, remains with the #48 team as does Kenneth Purcell, who was jacking the car during the latter part of 2007. Front-tire carrier Art Simmons also will return, a team spokesman confirmed Sunday night in clarifying Johnson's earlier remarks over the team's changes. "It was a tough thing, we've won championships with these guys," said Johnson, who was at Daytona International Speedway testing Sunday for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. "But we just felt like we could be a little faster and we needed to make some changes. It didn't go over easily with everybody, but [crew chief] Chad [Knaus has] got to make those decisions and we feel it will make our team stronger." Rear-tire changer Tim Ladyga has moved to the #24-Jeff Gordon team, Johnson said.(SceneDaily.com)(1-7-2008)

    2007 News

  • Germany wins Nations Cup: During the stop-and-go, 10-mile trek from his hotel to Wembley Stadium on Sunday morning, #48-Jimmie Johnson voiced concern that he wasn't acclimated to the four-wheel drive rally car he would pilot later that day in a highly anticipated duel with seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher. Those reservations would prove warranted, as Schumacher single-handedly eliminated Team USA from the Race of Champions Nations Cup, then joined teammate Sebastian Vettel in defeating England then Finland to win the overall team Nations Cup championship. It is Germany's first such victory. Schumacher opened the competition by outrunning Johnson to win by a landslide. Afterward, Johnson was visibly steamed. "Hell yeah I'm [upset] -- I want to win," said Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Nextel Cup champion. "I went out and did all that I could. I just do not understand the four-wheel drive, hand brake, rally car driving. I don't have a lot of experience at it, and to show the level that he showed in the car, I think he's had some days in it. He certainly navigated." Other than ROC, Johnson has never driven a four-wheel drive car in competition. Then again, the same goes for Schumacher, who would later stall the same car -- the Fiat Abarth rally car -- in which he beat Johnson at the starting line in a loss to Finnish F1 star Heikki Kovalainen. Despite Johnson's loss, it wasn't over for Team USA just yet. Johnson's teammate, Travis Pastrana, kept the U.S. team alive by beating Vettel in a race of Aston Martins. That set up a Schumacher/Pastrana matchup in rear-wheel drive buggies to decide which team advanced to the quarterfinals of the team competition.(ESPN.com)(12-17-2007)

  • Johnson to race Schumacher in ROC: Two-time NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, will face the man widely billed as one of the world's greatest drivers, Michael Schumacher, in The Race of Champions this weekend. The Team USA driver, who faces the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion in the first round of The ROC Nations Cup, says he has the greatest respect for the European superstar, which motivates him all the more to snatch victory for The United States. The ROC Nations Cup aims to determine the fastest country in the world, with two drivers from each pitted against each other in identical cars. This year The Race of Champions is being held at Wembley Stadium, London, England, and the famous landmark has been transformed into a parallel track, using 1,800 tons of tarmac, for the unique event this Sunday. "I've raced The ROC before and did OK," said Johnson, who won The ROC Nations Cup in 2002. "My team-mate, Travis Pastrana, was the unexpected success of the event last year, almost winning the whole thing single-handedly after I pulled out with an injury. That's got to give us the edge this year!" The ROC Nations Cup will begin about 9 a.m. on Sunday with The Race of Champions starting at 2:00pm/et. All the action will be shown live on The ROC website, www.raceofchampions.com/live.(GMR Marketing PR)(12-14-2007)

  • Jimmie Johnson to run three Nationwide Series races in 2008: Lowe's and Hendrick Motorsports announced that two-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson will drive the #5 Lowe's Chevrolet in three Nationwide Series races in 2008. Johnson will once again race in Lowe's Motor Speedway's May 24 and Oct.10 races plus California Speedway's race on Aug. 30. He has driven in these three races in 2006 and 2007. Johnson has 87 Nationwide Series starts winning the Chicagoland Speedway race in 2001.(GMR Marketing PR)(12-13-2007)

  • Report rates value of NASCAR sponsorships: Miller Brewing Co. is getting a high rate of return on its sponsorship of driver #2-Kurt Busch, at least when it comes to broadcasters and Busch himself mentioning one of his sponsors on the air, according to research released by SportsBusiness Journal. Busch ranked second among NASCAR drivers for on-air audio mentions of Busch and a sponsor, reflecting a monetary value for the media exposure of about $3.64 million. That was the conclusion of a recent report that captured and assessed the more than 96,000 sponsor impressions through NASCAR's 37-race Nextel Cup Series schedule, including the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Nearly 400 sponsors were tracked, analyzing primary and secondary car and driver partners, all race venue signage, and the myriad graphics and audio mentions from the races' TV broadcasts. As far as audio mentions, Busch ranked second in NASCAR with 124 "detections" equating to 10 minutes and 20 seconds of air time. Jeff Gordon, driving the #24 Du Pont Chevy, ranked the highest with 178 detections, equaling 14 minutes and 50 seconds of air time valued at $5.07 million. Busch didn't rank among the top five when both audio and video detections were evaluated. Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the #48 Lowe's Chevy, was the top driver with 7,845 detections valued at $55.98 million. Among the beer brands, Miller Lite lost out to main rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.'s Budweiser brand, an official sponsor of NASCAR. Miller Lite had 2,099 detections valued at $18.48 million, compared with Budweiser's 3,024 detections valued at $45.54 million.(Milwaukee Business Journal)(12-12-2007)

  • Johnson no longer a Gillette 'Young Gun':#48-Jimmie Johnson and Gillette have "severed ties on the 'Young Guns' program," and Johnson is looking for "an agency to help him market his on-track success," according to Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal. The story in this week's issue says the Hendrick Motorsports driver wants to capitalize on winning back-to-back Cup titles "with the type of off-track deals that will broaden his appeal and take his endorsement reach beyond the race track." In other Young Guns news, Gillette began shooting its 2008 campaign last week and is "adding at least one driver" to the program, though no new drivers have been announced.(SceneDaily.com)(12-11-2007)

  • 2007 All-America Auto Racing Team Selected: With voting completed for the 2007 All-America Auto Racing Team, five drivers emerge as contenders for the Jerry Titus Award. Tony Schumacher, the 2006 Titus winner, is bidding to be only the third driver ever to win the award in consecutive years, after Mario Andretti in 1977-78 and John Force in 1999-2000. For the second consecutive year Schumacher won the NHRA Top Fuel championship on the final run of the season, claiming his fifth career championship and his fourth in a row. The Titus, given in remembrance of the late racer/journalist, signifies the top vote-getter on the All-America team regardless of category, and is not announced until the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's banquet Jan. 12 at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, which is open to the public. Challenging Schumacher, are the champions of both major open-wheel series, four-time Champ Car World Series titlist Sébastien Bourdais and Indianapolis 500 winner/Indy Racing League champion Dario Franchitti. Also in the hunt are Jimmie Johnson, the 2006 and 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup champion, and Ron Hornaday Jr., who won his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Nextel Cup champion Johnson easily led the Stock Car category, with his teammate and Cup runner-up Jeff Gordon easily taking the other First Team slot. NASCAR Busch Series champion Carl Edwards was joined by Clint Bowyer on the second team. In Touring Series it was Craftsman Truck Series champion Hornaday and nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel who dominated the category. Young phenom Joey Logano, who won the NASCAR Busch East title at age 17, was joined on the Second Team by USAR Hooters Pro Cup champion Bobby Gill.(AARWBA PR)(12-10-2007)

  • Hendrick donates van to injured soldier: Nurses arranged John Hyland's hospital bed in Texas with safety in mind. And it's a good thing, the Charlotte native said, because he almost fell out of it early Saturday when he got a phone call from his mother. That's when Hyland, an injured U.S. Army corporal, learned that Charlotte car dealer Rick Hendrick had offered to give the family a new Honda Odyssey, equipped for handicapped use. Hendrick said he was moved to donate the vehicle after reading a story that described how Hyland, 37, needed a specially equipped van to return home to his family after he was badly injured in Iraq. Hendrick said he called Hyland's mother Saturday morning, minutes after reading the Observer story and seeing the photographs that ran with it. The story described how a blast split Hyland's Humvee in Iraq's Diyala province Sept. 10, crushing his feet and fracturing bones in his back and pelvis. He has spent 10 weeks in a Texas military hospital, but it has been a struggle for his wife and two young sons to visit him there. They live two hours away in Fort Hood, Texas, but they don't have a working car. Hendrick phoned Hyland on Saturday afternoon and told him he appreciated the sacrifices he had made for his country. He learned during that phone call that Hyland was a NASCAR fan. Hendrick, who owns Hendrick Motorsports, says he'll also ask Jimmie Johnson to call Hyland. The van -- worth more than $50,000 -- will be delivered to Hyland's wife Monday or Tuesday, a Hendrick spokeswoman said. The general manager of the company's Hickory dealership will travel to Texas to present the car, the spokeswoman said.(Charlotte Observer)(12-10-2007)

  • Jimmie Johnson Up For For United States Sports Academy's Athlete Of The Year Award: On the heels of his second consecutive Nextel Cup Series championship, #48-Jimmie Johnson has the opportunity to acquire another title - that of Athlete of the Year. Feted during last week's Champions Week activities in New York City, Johnson again is among the candidates listed for the 2007 United States Sports Academy Athlete of the Year presented by USATODAY.com and MSNBC.com. Johnson, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, finished third in last year's voting for Male Athlete of the Year. The 2007 ballot for male athletes includes Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay, Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps and golfer Tiger Woods. (NASCAR PR)(12-6-2007)

  • Johnson Wins 4th Quarter Driver of the Year Award: When Jimmie Johnson learned that he won the 4th Quarter, Driver of the Year, by a unanimous vote he was surprised. He was probably the only person to be astonished by that fact. In the last quarter Johnson (who went on to beat his teammate, Jeff Gordon for his second-straight, Nextel Cup Title) he went on a tear, winning four-in-row. In a very rare situation Johnson tallied all 17 votes first-place votes cast in the fourth quarter ballot. He beat France's, Sebastien Bourdais, by more than double the points 153 to 72.(DOTY PR)(12-4-2007)

  • Johnson to race in Rolex 24: #48-Jimmie Johnson, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and Lowe's Home Improvement will join forces for the 46th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 26-27. Johnson will co-drive with defending Daytona Prototype champions Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty, plus 1996 Champ Car champion Jimmy Vasser in the #99 Lowe's/GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac-Riley in America's premiere sports car race. The team began testing on Nov. 14 at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the race. Fogarty and Gurney won the pole at this race in 2006 then went on to win the July race at Daytona and the series championship. Team owner Bob Stallings is anxious to begin defending his team's 2007 championship title. The normally red painted #99 will also carry the blue and silver Lowe's paint scheme similar to paint scheme Johnson drives each weekend in Nextel Cup racing. The team will participate in the traditional three-day Rolex 24 test on Jan. 4-6.(GMR Marketing PR)(11-29-2007)

  • 2007 Championship Facts:
    .. Jimmie Johnson won the 2007 Nextel Cup Series Championship, scoring his second series championship in six full-time Nextel Cup seasons.
    .. Johnson is 32 years old and is from El Cajon, Calif.
    .. Johnson finished the season with 10 victories and 24 top-10 finishes, including four victories and eight top-10s in the 10-Chase for the Nextel Cup.
    .. Johnson finished the season with four victories in the final five races and came from 68 points behind then leader Jeff Gordon following the event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway to claim the title by 77 points.
    .. Johnson became the 15th driver to post multiple championships in NASCAR’s premier series.
    .. This is the 14th time in the history of the Nextel Cup Series that a driver has posted back-toback championships, including the only three consecutive championships by Cale Yarborough (1976-78).
    .. Johnson has finished in the top 10 of the final standings in each of his six full-time seasons in Nextel Cup Series, including back-to-back runner-up positions in 2003 and 2004. He finished fifth in his other two full-time seasons.
    .. Rick Hendrick won his seventh Nextel Cup Series championship, second only to Petty Enterprises (nine). Petty Enterprises had one season (1954) where Lee Petty won the driver championship but the owner champion ship went to Herb Thomas.
    .. Hendrick is in his 24th full season as a Nextel Cup car owner.
    .. Hendrick has won championships with three different drivers: Jeff Gordon (1995, ’97, ’98 and 2001), Jimmie Johnson (2006 and 2007) and Terry Labonte (1996).
    .. Hendrick has posted 11 titles in NASCAR’s top three series: Nextel Cup Series (seven), Busch Series (one),Craftsman Truck Series (three). He is joined by Jack Roush and Richard Childress as the only owners to have won championships in all three series.
    .. Chad Knaus won his second Nextel Cup Series championship.
    .. Knaus is 36 years old and hails from Rockford, Ill.
    .. He has participated in six full-time seasons as a crew chief – all with Jimmie Johnson and Rick Hendrick.
    .. He became the 15th crew chief in Nextel Cup history to claim multiple series titles.(NASCAR Statistics)(11-18-2007)

  • Lifetime deal in the works for Johnson? No surprise, if it's up to Rick Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson will drive a Hendrick Motorsports racecar for the remainder of his career. Hendrick said he is fully prepared to do whatever it takes to retain Johnson's services for as long as he drives professionally in the Nextel Cup Series. Money. Assets. Car dealerships. And most importantly, championship-caliber racecars. "My goal with him is real simple -- to keep him with me for as long as he races," Hendrick said. "It's a flattering comment, and I think I kind of knew that," Johnson said. "But it's something we've never talked about or put on the table." Back in 1999, Hendrick made a landmark decision to sign Jeff Gordon to a lifetime driving contract. With that came equity partnership in the company, and eventually partial ownership of the #48 car Johnson drives. Hendrick co-owns Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet in San Diego, and the two have commercial real estate partnerships together, as well. Like Gordon, Johnson presents the unique package that includes both elite driving talent and premiere marketability. He signed a long-term contract extension in 2006 that runs through 2010, but in a sport in which premiums are placed on the aforementioned attributes owners are often required to renegotiate contract extensions long before their current deals are set to expire. Hence, a lifetime deal is a possibility.(in part from ESPN.com)(11-17-2007)

  • Johnson tests for Rolex 24: On his way to Homestead-Miami Speedway to potentially claim his second consecutive Nextel Cup championship, #48-Jimmie Johnson stopped by Daytona International Speedway to spend the afternoon testing the #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Pontiac Riley. Johnson climbed behind the wheel of the Daytona Prototype early Wednesday afternoon and ran two full stints in the 2007 Rolex Series Championship-winning machine, turning laps just off the pace of Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty. Gurney and Fogarty, of course, are coming off of a championship season in which they captured seven victories on the 14-race calendar. "This is the best thing I can do to get my mind off the championship," Johnson said. "I came down to have some fun in one of these DP cars. I really, really enjoy the Rolex Series. I've been at three (Rolex 24 At Daytona) events, and hopefully I will come back and run in it in 2008. I just want to get some seat time, get used to the car, and Bob Stallings and the GAINSCO group were nice enough to let me come down, work with them, get some seat time and get a feel for things. So I'm having a great time." The NASCAR champion has prior experience in a Daytona Prototype, running the #91 Riley-Matthews Motorsports machine at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona International Speedway this past season. Johnson also claimed a runner-up finish in the 2005 Rolex 24 At Daytona. "My last experience in a DP was coming from a Crawford to a Riley," Johnson explained. "They're much different cars. This year, going from one Riley to another, it's not a huge gap in how they drive. Some of the small changes they've made around the track, I found it was more me trying to remember the reference points, and finding new ones with the small, subtle changes that have gone on with the surface of the track."(Grandprix.com)(11-15-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Phoenix: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Checker Auto Parts 500(k) at Phoenix International Raceway for his 4th race win in a row [last time a driver won four in a row, was Jeff Gordon in 1998], 10th win of the season, and 33rd of his career [which ties Fireball Roberts for 16th all time]. #16-Biffle finished 2nd, followed by #17-Kenseth, #20-Stewart, #12-Newman, #29-Harvick, #1-Truex Jr., #5-Busch, #31-Burton and #24-Gordon. Other Chasers finished: #07-Bowyer 11th, #2-Busch 12th, #11-Hamlin 16th and #99-Edwards led 87 laps, then developed engine problems and finished 42nd. The three former Indy 500 drivers finished as follows: #42-Montoya 17th; #06-Hornish 30th and #27-Villeneuve crashed and finsihed 41st. #8-Earnhardt Jr. wrecked hard and finished 43rd. There were 10 cautions for 41 laps and 6 drivers led the race with 10 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Phoenix Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Phoenix page
    Race Rundown: see my Phoenix Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(11-11-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Texas: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway for his 3rd race in a row, 9th win of the season, 1st ever at Texas and 32nd of his career. #17-Kenseth led late and lost the lead with 3 laps to go and finished 2nd, followed by #1-Truex Jr., #5-Busch [led most laps], #12-Newman, #31-Burton, #24-Gordon, #2-Busch, #26-McMurray and #29-Harvick. Other Chasers finished #20-Stewart 11th, #07-Bowyer had a late vibration and pitstops and finished 19th, #99-Edwards finished 26th after having a sway bar chain problem and #11-Hamlin was 29th after racing for the lead with Kenseth and smacking the wall. There were 12 cautions [ties a record] for 52 laps and 12 drivers led the race with 25 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Texas Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Texas page
    Race Rundown: see my Texas Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(11-4-2007)

  • Johnson Added to SPEED Performer of the Year Voting Panel: Defending Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, last year's inaugural winner of the SPEED Performer of the Year, has agreed to join the voting panel for the annual award beginning this year. Johnson, who edged MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden and F1 title winner Fernando Alonso to win last year's SPEED Performer of the Year, joins a panel that includes SPEED on-air personalities Bob Varsha, Dave Despain, Tommy Kendall, Ralph Sheheen and Dorsey Schroeder, as well as SPEEDtv.com columnists Robin Miller, Tom Jensen and others. SPEED will offer all future winners of the SPEED Performer of the Year the opportunity to join the voting panel. The 2007 SPEED Performer of the Year will be voted on beginning in November and announced as part of the annual SPEED Performance Awards in February, with the winner earning the famed Mario Andretti Trophy, a three-foot bronze sculpture created by artist Elie Hazak.(SPEEDtv.com)(10-29-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Atlanta COT Test Plans: Although Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will test with their 2008 teams at Atlanta, they will not drive cars branded with their 2008 numbers. Mears, who will drive the #5 Chevy next season, will run his customary # 25 National Guard/GMAC paint scheme during the two-day session. Earnhardt, who is slated for the #88 Chevy in 2008, will test a #5 car at Atlanta. To commemorate his first laps with Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt will sport a "throwback" #5 All-Star Racing Chevy during next week's Atlanta test. Earnhardt's Impala SS will feature a red and white paint scheme identical to the first car campaigned by team owner Rick Hendrick in Cup-level competition. Then known as "All-Star Racing," Hendrick Motorsports fielded the car with driver Geoff Bodine in 1984. The #24 and #48 teams of Hendrick Motorsports will not attend next week's Atlanta test.(Hendrick PR)(10-27-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Atlanta: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a green-white-checker finish for his 8th win of the season, the 31st win of his career, and the sweep of this season's Atlanta races. #99-Edwards finished second, followed by #41-Sorenson, #17-Kenseth, #31-Burton, #07-Bowyer, #24-Gordon, #2-Busch, #9-Kahne, and #83-Vickers. #8-Earnhardt, Jr. lost a tire during the green-white-checker finish, collecting #26-McMurray and causing the race to end under caution. The race was slowed by 14 cautions for 55 laps. There were 11 leaders with 19 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Atlanta Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Atlanta page.
    Race Rundown: see my Atlanta Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-28-2007)

  • Johnson to Donate Race Winnings to Red Cross: In response to the Southern California wildfires, #48Jimmie Johnson, Lowe’s, Hendrick Motorsports and Speedway Motorsports and Sonic Automotive Chairman Bruton Smith will each donate to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for the California Wildfire Relief Fund this weekend to benefit people affected by the fires. Johnson, through the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, and Hendrick Motorsports will donate their winnings from Sunday’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta to assist Red Cross relief efforts throughout Southern California. Lowe’s and Smith will each match those contributions dollar for dollar.(GMR/Hendrick PR)(10-27-2007)

  • Johnson to test at Kentucky next week UPDATE cancelled: Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team are scheduled to test the #48 Lowe's Chevy at Kentucky Speedway Oct. 22. Fans can view testing for free from the designated area outside the speedway Fan Center in Turn 3. Test sessions generally begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Times will vary based on team goals and schedules.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(10-18-2007)
    UPDATE: The Nextel Cup Series test scheduled for Jimmie Johnson at Kentucky Speedway today [Monday] has been cancelled. Johnson earned his series-leading seventh win of the season yesterday [Sunday] at Martinsville Speedway.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(10-22-2007)

  • Jimmie Johnson wins at Martinsville: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway in a green-white-checker finish for his 7th win of the season and 30th of his career win. It was also his 3rd consecutive win at Martinsville. #12-Newman finished second, followed by #24-Gordon, #5-Busch, #17-Kenseth, #11-Hamlin, #16-Biffle, #42-Montoya, #07-Bowyer, and #29-Harvick. #8-Earnhardt, Jr. lost an engine during the last caution and fell to 23rd at the finish. The race was slowed by a record 21 cautions for 127 laps. There were 7 leaders with 12 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Martinsville Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Martinsville page.
    Race Rundown: see my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-21-2007)

  • Former 49ers Owner Almost Bought Hendrick in 2004 UPDATE no: Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo told Sports Business Journal recently that he almost became a NASCAR owner in 2004. "We would have bought a NASCAR team if Reggie White hadn't died," DeBartolo said of the former NFL player. "The week he passed away we were going to sign the agreement with Hendrick Motorsports. After that, I just couldn't do it. I loved Reggie too much."(Roanoke Times)(10-14-2007)
    AND and from a July article - Dale Earnhardt Inc. president Max Siegel told ESPN.com on Wednesday [in July] that three years ago he was prepared to partner with NFL Hall of Famers Reggie White and Ronnie Lott, as well as former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartalo Jr., in purchasing MB2 Motorsports, which at the time fielded the #01 and #10 Chevrolets. The papers were drawn. All that was left was the official closing, which was slated for Jan. 15, 2005. But when White died suddenly on Dec. 26, 2004, and the deal died with him. Siegel said he and White originally had planned to partner with Rick Hendrick on a NASCAR Busch Series operation. Then the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash in October 2004 halted that initiative. A couple of months had passed, and Siegel said Hendrick contacted him about the program. Hendrick explained that in order for him to be involved, White and Siegel had to purchase a team with an existing Hendrick partnership. Enter MB2, whose engines were supplied by Hendrick. At the time, Valvoline was part-owner of MB2, as well. All the pieces were in place, then White passed away.(ESPN.com)(10-14-2007)
    UPDATE 2: At the time in question, Mr. DeBartolo and Mr. White were in discussions with the former MB2 Motorsports team, and our involvement was limited solely to a potential technical support relationship. Hendrick Motorsports is not, and has never been, for sale.(HMS)(10-16-2007)

  • Hass Racing Quiet about 2008 Drivers: When it comes to who'll be in what Haas CNC Racing cars in 2008, nobody seems to know much of anything. Joe Custer, the team's general manager, plays his cards close to the vest. Very, very close. Johnny Sauter, driver of the organization's #70 entry, says that he doesn't have a clue what he'll be doing next year, but adds that he's been given permission to look elsewhere. Jeff Green, who steers its #66 Chevy, refuses altogether to comment on the situation. With Scott Riggs already signed for next year and two Haas cars available, there's considerable speculation as to which one he'll drive and whether it'll be Green or Sauter who's left out of the mix. Then again, names other than Riggs' [including Mayfield and Stremme] have been mentioned as joining the operation. If that happens, Green and Sauter would most likely both be gone. According to Custer, neither driver has a decided advantage at this stage of the game.(NASCAR.com)(10-14-2007)
    More Stremme Buzz in the Garage: Hearing from many sources that #40 David Stremme is now the leading candidate for at least four teams. Options include third and fourth car situations (GEM?, Penske?, MWR?, Ganassi?) and Haas Racing where Johnny Sauter is expected to be replaced.(10-14-2007)

  • Gordon Says Penalties Get Teams' Attention: When NASCAR slapped the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams with 100-point penalties for illegal aerodynamic modifications back in June at Infineon Raceway, the message was received loud and clear, according to Jeff Gordon. "I will be honest with you, right now, if we don't run as good as some other guys, it is because we are being conservative. We aren't pushing the limits because we know what the outcome can be," Gordon said at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday's LifeLock 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race. "We are making sure we go through inspection, we meet all the cold templates and every other thing that they have on the new car. We are doing everything we can to make sure that is the case going in to the race and that is the case coming out of the race. We might falter, too, but we are playing more on the conservative side, we might give up a few positions on the race track because of that, but we have been hit with it and we learned our lesson." Gordon said he thought that other teams would be erring to the side of caution, too, after seeing #99-Carl Edwards and the Roush Fenway Racing team spanked with a 25-point fine for being too in post-race inspection last Sunday at Dover. "We are playing it conservative, I would think that is going to be case with the #99 (Edwards) now," Gordon said.(SPEEDtv.com)(9-30-2007)

  • Levi Strauss, Johnson to end partnership? Levi Strauss has notified Hendrick Motorsports driver #48-Jimmie Johnson that it will not continue its personal services agreement with him beyond the 2007 Nextel Cup season, according to the SportsBusiness Journal. The company has been Johnson's official apparel sponsor since 2004. Last fall, it announced a three-year contract with Johnson that was to run through the 2009 season. A corporate official told the SportsBusiness Journal that it would be going in a different direction than being the official jeans of the team.(SceneDaily.com)(9-18-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Richmond: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway for his 6th win in 2007 and 29th of his career, locking him into the lead of the drivers points at the start of the Chase. The race for the chase ended up with #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. losing an engine while running 3rd with 5 laps to go, finishing 30th, but it didn't matter as #2-Kurt Busch finished 9th and #29-Kevin Harvick finished 7th, so they easily clinched a spot in the Chase. Back to the race....#20-Stewart finished 2nd, followed by #6-Ragan [best career finish], #24-Gordon, #70-Sauter [his best career finish and 1st ever top-5], #11-Hamlin, #29-Harvick, #9-Kahne, #2-Busch and #18-Yeley. Other chase drivers finished: #07-Bowyer 12th; #17-Kenseth finished 14th; #1-Truex Jr. 15th; #31-Burton 18th; #5-Busch 20th; #99-Edwards 42nd/engine. There were 12 cautions for 71 laps and 11 drivers led the race with 17 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Richmond Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Richmond page
    Race Rundown: see my Richmond Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(9-8-2007)

  • Chevy Continues Partnership with Hendrick Motorsports: Chevrolet, the winningest nameplate in NASCAR, will continue its partnership with championship team Hendrick Motorsports in NASCAR competition in 2008 and beyond. In 23 years (1984-2006) of NASCAR competition, Hendrick Motorsports has garnered six Nextel Cup Series (formerly Winston Cup) championships, three Craftsman Truck Series titles and one Busch Series crown, making it one of stock-car racing's premier organizations. Rick Hendrick is the only team owner in NASCAR's modern era to earn more than 150 Cup Series victories and is currently at 160 Cup wins - all of them coming in Chevrolets. Hendrick Motorsports' win at the first "Car of Tomorrow" race at Bristol earlier this year also earned Chevrolet its first Impala SS win and Chevy's 600th win in NASCAR Cup competition. The four full-time NASCAR Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports slated to run in 2008 include four-time champion Jeff Gordon in the #24 DuPont Chevy; Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe's Chevy; Casey Mears in the #5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevy; and new addition Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has only driven Chevrolets in his NASCAR career.(GM Racing PR)(9-7-2007)

  • Johnson to run at the race of champions again in Dec: Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana have both confirmed their attendance for The Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium, UK, this December, which will see the London arena transformed into a tarmac race-track. The event is the only opportunity for the world’s motorsport heroes from many various disciplines to race in exactly the same cars and on a parallel-track. Jimmie Johnson is coming back as part of Team USA after missing out on last year’s event at the Stade de France in Paris, France due to an injury he sustained only days before the race. Despite his injury the 31-year-old was still there to cheer on team-mate and fellow American Pastrana. Both drivers are confident they can make up for missing out on last year’s Nations Cup title as well having The Race of Champions 2007 individual title firmly in their sight. More info at raceofchampions.com.(Race of Champions PR)(9-4-2007)

  • Johnson wins at California: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway for his fifth win of the year, which will guarantee him a top seed when the Chase starts in two weeks. #48-Johnson, #31-Burton, and #5-Busch are now locked into the Chase. #99-Edwards finished second, followed by #5-Busch, #31-Burton, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #1-Truex Jr., #17-Kenseth, #83-Vickers, #2-Busch, and #9-Kahne. Points leader #24-Gordon finished 22nd after getting caught in an accident. #8-Earnhardt, Jr's 5th place finish helped him gain 30 points on 12th place in the standings, but he still remains 128 out. There were 11 cautions for 43 laps and there were 16 leaders with 30 lead changes.
    Race Results: on my California Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings: on my Drivers/Owners Points after California Page.
    Race Rundown: see my California Race Info/Rundwon Page for my race rundwon page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(9-2-2007)

  • Special Scheme for Johnson at Calif: Jimmie Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevy will carry a special Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Habitat for Humanity paint scheme in the Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway on September 2nd. "We want to raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity and the foundation," said Johnson. "There will be lots of fans there and the race is nationally televised. We hope this might introduce fans to these charity organizations and create some interest. Lowe's was gracious enough to let us run this paint scheme on the Nextel Cup car so I really want to thank them for their support not only for this race but the entire week of events."(Lowe's Racing PR), see an image of the scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(8-27-2007)

  • Knaus returns to #48 team after 6 week suspension: #48 Lowe's Chevy driver Jimmie Johnson and the Nextel Cup Series travel to Michigan International Speedway this weekend for Sunday's 400-mile race. Johnson finished fifth and second in the last two races at Pocono and Watkins Glen. This weekend, Crew Chief Chad Knaus rejoins the team after a six-race absence. Johnson said, ""I have been proud of the team and what we have done without Chad. I think we have kept our pace up. But, we really look forward to having him back this week getting everything in line and getting ready for the Chase. I have to give our guys a lot of credit by staying focused throughout these six races."(GMR Marketing PR)(8-16-2007)

  • Hendrick re-signs with GM: Hendrick Motorsports has verbally agreed to a five-year contract with General Motors, keeping HMS in Chevrolets through 2012. "We're done," team owner Rick Hendrick said after Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International. "We haven't signed it, but we've verbally agreed." GM is in the last year of all of its contracts with teams in the Nextel Cup series. Re-signing HMS was key, particularly with speculation that Joe Gibbs Racing may be leaving for Toyota. Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc., GM's other top teams, remain in negotiations but are expected to re-sign. Two of the top three owners in Chevrolet expect Joe Gibbs Racing to move to Toyota in 2008. "I'd say they're gone," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who has agreed to a five-year deal with General Motors. Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress said there are enough signs to believe that JGR will make the jump, which he says will take Toyota to another level. "It's pretty well written in stone," he said on Sunday at Watkins Glen International. Childress is so convinced JGR will bolt that he questions whether the organization should be included in Thursday's key partners' meeting at GM's headquarters in Detroit. "No, I wouldn't feel comfortable with them there," he said. "If the [other Chevrolet] teams have a feeling they're going to be there, we're not going to discuss openly with them in a room things we normally would discuss openly. You're sitting there working on stuff for next year and you don't want them to take that and help out the competition."(ESPN.com)(8-13-2007)

  • Drivers Have Different Plans for Off Week: The last open weekend on the Nextel Cup schedule until Thanksgiving means different things to different drivers as they gear up for a stretch of 17 races without a break starting July 29 in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Jeff Gordon is going to pack up his family car for a short road trip with wife Ingrid and month-old daughter Ella Sofia. Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra are flying to Europe. Kyle Petty is getting on a motorcycle to join his annual charity ride. Elliott Sadler is heading to the golf course. And several drivers will be driving, either in a Busch Series race in suburban St. Louis or, in Tony Stewart's case, at a time and place still to be determined.(Indianapolis Star)(7-17-2007)

  • Johnson's #48 Crew Wins Pit Crew Challenge in New Hampshire: Jimmie Johnson's over-the-wall crew claimed its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season by spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday's Nextel Cup event. The #48 Lowe's team visited New Hampshire International Speedway's pit lane for only 175.323 seconds and will be awarded $11,000 by Checkers/Rally's for winning the weekly competition. The #48 crew, out of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, consists of: Chris Anderson (jackman), Art Simmons (front-tire carrier), Mike Trower (front-tire changer), Ron Malec (rear-tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Rich Gutierrez (gasman), Mike Knauer (catch can) and Sean Kerlin (eighth-man). The team's pit crew coach is Matt Clark.
    Mark Martin's/Regan Smith's #01 crew leads the season-long Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with four wins. An $111,150 prize will be presented to the pit crew team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule. To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the Pit Crew Challenge. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(7-4-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Wants Crew Chiefs back ASAP: Doug Duchardt, Hendrick Motorsports vice president of development, says the team didn't appeal NASCAR's penalties this week for two basic reasons: First, the teams of #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson want their crew chiefs back in time to have momentum when the Chase For The Nextel Cup begins, and second, the group now understands what NASCAR views as the lack of a gray area on the car of tomorrow more clearly. Duchardt said the team considered both of these concepts when it decided not to appeal the penalties. "As we went through this, some things came more clear to us as far as what NASCAR's tolerance on their data was - it wasn't as clear to us before last Friday as it is now," Duchardt said Friday at New Hampshire. The primary reason, though, is the teams want to get this over with and get the regular crew chiefs back in place in time to develop some momentum heading into the Chase For The Nextel Cup.(SceneDaily.com)(6-30-2007)

  • Career start #200 at NHIS for Johnson: Sunday will mark #48-Jimmie Johnson's 200th start in Nextel Cup racing. Johnson's first race was at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 7, 2001. He started 15th and finished 39th. Since then he has gone on to win a championship as well as 27 races, giving him sole possession of 22nd place on the all-time victory list since 1949.(Lowes Racing PR)(6-29-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal penalties to #24/#48, interim crew chiefs named: Car owner Rick Hendrick confirmed today that the sanctions levied by NASCAR on Tuesday against the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams will not be appealed by Hendrick Motorsports. "The penalties are excessive," Hendrick reiterated. "But we're not going to put time and resources into issuing an appeal. Instead, we will direct that energy into our internal processes to make sure we have full confidence that our cars will meet standards when presented for inspection each week. We've said from the beginning that this would be a learning process (with the Car of Tomorrow) and there would be a lot of give and take between NASCAR and the teams to figure it out. That doesn't seem to be the case now, and I don't think it's the right direction to go."
    #24 car chief Jeff Meendering and #48 car chief Ron Malec have been named interim crew chiefs for their respective teams beginning with Sunday's Nextel Cup event at New Hampshire International Speedway. "In Jeff and Ron, we have two guys who know their teams inside and out," Hendrick said. "They both have been here a long time, they both know the pressures involved and they both have the full support of our entire organization. We don't expect to miss a beat."
    Meendering, 30, began his Hendrick Motorsports career in October 1994 sweeping floors in the chassis shop as a 16-year-old high-school junior. He has since won 10 NASCAR championships as a member of the organization. From Grand Rapids, Mich., Meendering joined the #24 team in 2000 under crew chief Robbie Loomis, working as a setup specialist and mechanic before being promoted to car chief in September 2005.
    A Franklin, Wis., native, Malec has a long history with driver Jimmie Johnson. The pair met more than a decade ago when Johnson was racing off-road trucks, and they later became roommates when both were involved in the American Speed Association. Malec and Johnson each moved to North Carolina in 1999 and again worked alongside one another in the NASCAR Busch Series before joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2001 as original members of the #48 team. Malec has been car chief for Johnson's entire Nextel Cup career. The 32-year-old Malec, also the rear-tire carrier for the #48 team, will be supported on race day by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. McGrew won the 2003 Busch Series championship and has posted victories in each of NASCAR's top three divisions. He is also familiar with Johnson after working as his Busch Series crew chief this season. Crew chiefs Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus will resume at-track duties for their respective teams at the Aug. 19 Nextel Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)

  • Crew Chief Knaus statement on Penalties and Interim Crew Chief: "It's definitely disappointing, but we have a very capable and committed team. For whatever reason, we seem to thrive on adversity. We've overcome challenges in the past and I know we'll get through this as well. I didn't feel like we were outside the box in Sonoma, but that's NASCAR's call and they made it. Ron [Malec] is the only car chief I've ever had on the #48 team. He knows the guys better than anyone and they all have a ton of respect for him and what he's accomplished. Ron has been our backbone from the beginning and he'll do a terrific job. It's not the way I wanted to see him get an opportunity, but he's ready and more than capable of getting it done. I'm grateful to have talented guys like Ron and Lance (McGrew) available. It just goes to show how deep this organization is."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)

  • #24, #48 Teams Penalized For Infractions At Infineon Raceway: NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Both cars – the #24 driven by Jeff Gordon and the #48 driven by Jimmie Johnson – were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); 20-2.1E (parts or components of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that have been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted); and 20-2H (fenders may not be cut or altered except for wheel or tire clearance which must be approved by the Series Director) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during the initial inspection process last Friday. As a result, Gordon and Johnson have each been penalized 100 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs – Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus – have each been fined $100,000, suspended for the next six Nextel Cup Series events until Aug. 15, 2007 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2007. In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the #24, has been penalized 100 car owner championship points as has Gordon, who is the owner of the #48.(NASCAR PR)(6-26-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Responds to Penalties: Car owner Rick Hendrick responded to NASCAR sanctions announced today involving the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams of Hendrick Motorsports. "We are disappointed in NASCAR's decision and feel the penalties are excessive," Hendrick said. "Right now, all of our options are being evaluated, including our personnel situation and a possible appeal to the National Stock Car Racing Commission. We'll take some time to decide on a direction and make an announcement regarding our plans for New Hampshire later in the week."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-26-2007)

  • Hendrick preparing for crew chief suspensions: It looks like Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte are about to become teachers, in a hurry. Sources told me [captainthunderracing.com] late Monday, that the two Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs and their crews will be working franticly to prepare for the possible suspensions stemming from the Infineon race. At last weekends road race in California, both teams race cars failed inspection and their drivers, #24 Jeff Gordon and #48 Jimmie Johnson, where forced to start from the back of the field. Over the next few days, the two crew chiefs will be working overtime with their crews and their new replacements [it doesn't say who they are] to prepare themselves for the possible passing of the baton this weekend in New Hampshire. Sources said Knaus is prepared to assist Letarte with preparations and the two are reviewing Knaus's notes from last year to get a strong handle on how to handle their potential impending absences from the race track. They are preparing to work the operation much the way they did last season when Knaus was suspended following a cheating infraction at the season opening Daytona 500. Johnson won the race in Knause's absence with fill in crew chief Darian Grubb sitting on the pit box in place of Knaus. Grubb parlayed that gig in to a full time gig as crew chief for the #25 of Casey Mears. When Knaus was suspended last year, they communicated via laptop and cell phone by housing Knaus in a hotel close to the track. Sources told me they will prepare much as they did last year and they will be sure to be ready for the worst. And, if they don't get suspended, they will be even better prepared for this weeks race in New Hampshire. Whoever replaces Knaus and Letarte has some big shoes to fill, and they better be prepared to be there for a while. Sources say the penalty could equal the one NASCAR handed out to Tony Eury Jr. just a few weeks ago.(captainthunderracing.com)(6-25-2007)

  • #24 and #48 pulled from practice, qualifying after failing inspection MORE: NASCAR officials announced that #24-Jeff Gordon [points leader] and #48- Jimmie Johnson [3rd in points] will not be allowed to practice or qualify Friday after their cars failed the initial morning inspection at Infineon Raceway. The front fenders on both the #24 Chevy of Gordon and the #48 Chevy of Johnson had front fenders that were too wide. The cars did not fit the template for a Car of Tomorrow entry. Both drivers will have to start at the rear of the field for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 300 event on the 2-mile Infineon road course. Gordon, the season points leader, won at Infineon one year ago. His five victories at Sonoma are the most among active drivers. "Both teams have the opportunity to repair their primary cars and resubmit them for inspection," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. "If they pass that inspection, they'll be allowed to practice on Saturday." Neither crew chief -- Steve Letarte for Gordon and Chad Knaus for Johnson -- has been suspended for this race. But additional penalties are likely for both drivers and crew chiefs next week. NASCAR officials have warned all teams that any violations involving the COT would results in severe punishment. The #8 Chevy team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was penalized 100 points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 when a pre-qualifying inspection at Darlington showed the brackets on the rear wing were modified out of regulation.(ESPN.com)(6-22-2007)
    UPDATE: "I don't necessarily say they bent the rules," [Team Owner Rick] Hendrick said after a lengthy team meeting inside of Jeff Gordon's hauler. "They thought they were working inside of an area they thought they could. The fenders on the car are sitting out there in front of God and everybody. If you're going to try to do something to gain an advantage you wouldn't do it and roll it through inspection." NASCAR officials said the front right fenders on both cars were flared out beyond the wheel well to create an advantage. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, called it a blatant attempt to circumvent the rules. Based on what happened to crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. when NASCAR discovered alterations to the rear-wing bracket at Darlington, the ensuing penalty will be substantial. Eury was suspended for six races and fined $100,000, and Earnhardt was docked 100 championship points. Hendrick, anticipating that or worse, already is pleading his case to NASCAR. "We'll have to see what the penalty is, but I don't think the penalty fits the crime in this case when you're talking about the top of a fender or the side of a fender," he said. "I don't see it as a situation where you had a certified part and it's been altered or anything like that." Hendrick said Gordon and Johnson already have been punished enough -- they're being forced to start at the rear of the field. The only driver to win at Infineon from the back was Ernie Irvan, who started at the rear after jumping the start in 1992. We want to play by the rules. I don't enjoy this. The guys don't enjoy this. I'm sure NASCAR doesn't enjoy this. This is a big penalty not being able to qualify and get a good starting spot and good pit spot," he said. "We're just hoping for a good finish. If these two cars finish in the top 10 tomorrow I'll be happy."(ESPN.com)(6-24-2007)

  • Johnson to be Featured on ESPN SportsCenter My Wish Series June 24-29: After a successful debut last year, ESPN SportsCenter’s “My Wish” series, which chronicles sports-themed wishes granted to children with life-threatening medical conditions, will be aired Sunday, June 24, through Friday, June 29. The five “My Wish” episodes will feature 2006 Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, all-pro quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, a past NBA Finals most valuable player, a popular World Series slugger and an athlete TBD.  Emmy Award-winning reporter Chris Connelly will again host. “My Wish” is presented by ESPN, in cooperation with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Walt Disney Company.  As part of the series, ESPN will help grant sports-related wishes with leading sports stars to five children referred by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Each wish will then be the subject of one SportsCenter feature segment.  The SportsCenter segment will feature the reason for the wish, interviews with the kids and their families, and a behind-the-scenes look at the wish fulfilled, including the interaction between the youngster and the athlete. Several ESPN multimedia platforms such as ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, and ESPN360.com will offer additional and complementary content related to the five wish-granting experiences. Team ESPN encompasses ESPN’s multi-faceted corporate outreach initiatives, including volunteerism, corporate giving and cause marketing, while utilizing its diverse media assets.  Through Team ESPN, ESPN, its employees and its fans work together to make a difference more info at www.teamespn.com. The Disney VoluntEARS program provides opportunities for Disney employees to contribute their time and expertise towards making a positive impact in the communities they serve while furthering the traditions and ideals of The Walt Disney Company. For more information on Disney’s outreach efforts, please visit www.disneyhand.com.(ESPN PR)(6-21-2007)

  • Chevy unveils paint schemes to commemorate 50 Years of the '57 Chevy: One of the most recognizable cars in American motoring history reaches a notable milestone this year, a milestone which NASCAR, Chevy and Motorsports Authentics proudly celebrate. The 1957 Chevrolet, a car which turns 50 years old this year, will be commemorated at August 19’s 3M Performance 400 Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway by at least 11 Team Chevy drivers. Unveiled by Jimmie Johnson at MIS today, a Monte Carlo SS race car featuring decals with cues from the iconic 1957 design is similar to the ones Johnson and other Team Chevy drivers will race during the August event. On August 18, ’57 Chevys along with many other historic vehicles will hit the streets during Metro Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise. That same weekend, Team Chevy Nextel Cup Series drivers #4-Ward Burton, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #14-Sterling Marlin, #01-Mark Martin, #15-Paul Menard, #96-Tony Raines, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #78-Kenny Wallace and #18-J.J. Yeley will take to the track at MIS with their cars wearing special ’57 Chevy paint schemes. To commemorate this special event, Motorsports Authentics will replicate their cars with die-cast models and offer apparel and novelty items related to the event.(GM Racing PR), see an image of the #48 Scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(6-16-2007)

  • #48 Crew Members donate uniforms to Benefit Benny's Museum: Lowe's, Hendrick Motorsports and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation announced today a special on-line auction of the #48 team's actual pit crew uniforms. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Benny Parsons Museum. Crew Chief Chad Knaus along with the team's seven over-the-wall pit crew members said they agreed to donate the uniforms worn in NASCAR Nextel Cup races as a mark of respect for the late Parsons. Each uniform will be signed by the donating crew member as well as Johnson and Knaus. The over-the-wall crew members, include: jackman Chris Anderson, front tire carrier Art Simmons, front tire changer Mike Trower, rear tire carrier Ron Malec, rear tire changer Tim Ladyga, gas man Rich Gutierrez and catch can man Mike Knauer. The first chance to bid begins Fri. May 18. Each uniform will be posted separately in a series of 10-day auctions. The final uniform will be posted on Friday, July 6. For more information or to place your bid, visit www.ebay.com/jimmiejohnsonfoundation. Parsons died Jan. 16 from complications resulting from treatments for lung cancer. His wife Terri is currently raising funds for a museum in his honor at Rendezvous Ridge near North Wilkesboro, N.C. For more information on Benny Parsons visit BennyParsons.com.(GMR PR)(5-20-2007)

  • Kahne/Johnson to drive in Speed GT race at LMS: Woodhouse Performance announced that #9-Kasey Kahne will pilot the #13 Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper Competition Coupe in the SPEED World Challenge series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Kahne joins #48-Jimmie Johnson in the SCCA Pro-Racing GT Series race, which will take place following CTC's presentation of NEXTEL Cup qualifying Thursday night May 24. Woodhouse Performance has been competing in the SPEED World Challenge GT Series for the past four years with team owner Bob Woodhouse, 61, behind the wheel of the #13 Viper. Teammate to Kahne at Charlotte will be Woodhouse Performance driver Jeff Courtney, who pilots the #99 Kenda Tires/ProMPI Dodge Viper Competition Coupe.(Clear!Blue PR)(5-16-2007)

  • Dale Jr. leans toward Hendrick? UPDATE denied: The efforts to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardt’s list are the Chevrolet teams owned by Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, according to men familiar with the negotiations. Earnhardt today is leaning toward a deal with Hendrick [NOTE: where would Earnhardt go? HMS has four Cup teams and all three drivers signed for a couple more years, unless some sort of deal with Haas CNC Racing or Ginn Racing would be worked out], largely because of Hendrick’s very strong engine program, sources here said yesterday. Earnhardt and veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., his cousin and close confidante as well as the man who has led him to many of his 17 Cup victories, have talked with both the Hendrick and Childress camps in recent weeks about the positives and negatives each team owner would have to offer, sources said yesterday. And Eury will have a major voice in the decision, because Earnhardt’s primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2007)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Marshall Carlson told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that his team is fully stocked with drivers for 2008 and beyond, and that he has not spoken with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., about the possibility of joining the Hendrick stable.(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)(5-9-2007)

  • Knaus Keeps it Together to Win Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at RIR: Chad Knaus, crew chief for the #88 Lowe’s Chevrolet, faced multiple obstacles during the Crown Royal Presents the Jim Stewart 400 at Richmond International Raceway. A rescheduling of the race from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon due to rain was only the beginning of a tough day for Knaus as he dealt with a loose car, hot breaks, air pressure and more. However Knaus kept a cool head while working on the multiple problems his driver, Jimmie Johnson, radioed in, calling for the necessary adjustments during pit stops. Knaus’ communication with Johnson combined with quick and accurate assessments of the problems, lead the 2006 Nextel Cup Champion to the checkered flag, capturing the team’s fourth victory for the season. For his outstanding race day calls along with team leadership and direction, Chad Knaus was awarded the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. A panel of voters, including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Jr., Kenny Francis, Robbie Reiser and a Wypall Wipers representative were unanimous in selecting Knaus as the Crew Chief of the Race. As the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race, Knaus received $1,000. Earning his second crew chief of the race award puts Knaus in the lead for overall standing with two wins. Larry Carter, Mike Ford, Robbie Reiser, Alan Gustafson, Chip Bolin, Ryan Pemberton, Donnie Wingo and Tony Eury Jr. each have one win. At the end of the season the crew chief with the most wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. For more information on Wypall Wipers or the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge, visit www.Wypall.com.(Wypall PR)(5-8-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Richmond: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 at Richmond International Raceway for his 4th win of 2007 and 27th of his career. The race was scheduled to run Saturday night, but was rained out and run today, May 6th. Johnson beat teammate #5-Kyle Busch. The rest of the top-10 were: #11-Hamlin, #24-Gordon, #2-Busch [highest finishing Dodge], #12-Newman, #29-Harvick, #20-Stewart, #07-Bowyer and #17-Kenseth [highest finishing Ford]. #22-Blaney was the highest finishing Toyota at 11th. Another tought day for #9-Kahne, who wrecked late and finished 40th. Jeff Gordon's points lead increases to 211 over Johnson. #31-Jeff Burton, who started the race 2nd in points, finished last/43rd and dropped to 5th in the points standings. Hendrick Motorsports now has 7 wins in the 10 races this season and has won all four COT races. There were 14 cautions for 80 laps and 12 drivers lead the race with 24 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Richmond Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Richmond page
    Race Rundown: see my Richmond Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(5-6-2007)

  • Johnson helps builds Soap Box Derby Cars: As part of its ongoing commitment to families and children and in support of its sponsorship of the All-American Soap Box Derby (AASBD), the Levi Strauss Signature brand hosted a Soap Box Derby car-building workshop for local boys and girls on Thursday [4/12] at Gateway Park in Ft. Worth, Texas. #48-Jimmie Johnson was on hand to assist underserved youth in building their cars and to share some of his racing expertise. The 2006 NASCAR champion is the national spokesperson for the Levi Strauss Signature brand, the title sponsor of the AASBD World Championship. Boys and girls ages 10 to 17 from Plano-area youth organizations constructed gravity-powered cars with the help of volunteers from the Plano Soap Box Derby chapter, which is in its inaugural year. Throughout the afternoon, Johnson was hands-on in helping each child assemble his / her car and, as a seasoned racing veteran, offered encouraging words to the new Soap Box Derby participants. The Levi Strauss Signature brand partnered with the AASBD to donate car kits to the children, giving them the opportunity to compete in the inaugural Plano Soap Box Derby, which takes place on Saturday, June 2. The 70th AASBD World Championship is scheduled to take place on July 21, 2007, with more than 500 race participants representing more than 40 states and five countries (Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Guam and the Philippines).(Taylor PR)(4-13-2007)

  • #48 team helmets stolen: Around 7:00pm/et on Sunday [April 1] evening, Martinsville Speedway track security radio announced for everyone to be on the lookout for helmets that belonged to the Nextel Cup Series #48 team. They were stolen from the infield pit area while the Goody's Cool Orange 500 race winner, Jimmie Johnson and crew were in victory circle celebrating.(Insiderracingnews.com)(4-2-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Martinsville: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 3rd [in 6 races] win of the 2007 season and 26th career win. Johnson and teammate #24-Jeff Gordon fought the last five laps, beating and banging the final lap, with Johnson winning by a few feet. Finishing third was #11-Hamlin, #5-Busch, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #31-Burton, #20-Stewart, #10-Riggs, #26-McMurray and #17-Kenseth. #24-Gordon maintains the points lead by 28 pts over #31-Burton. There were 13 cautions for 93 laps and 9 drivers lead the race with 14 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Bristol Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Bristol page
    Race Rundown: see my Bristol Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(4-1-2007)

  • Johnson to open up Victory Junction Bowling Alley: Jimmie and Chandra Johnson and the Pettys will celebrate the Grand Opening of Jimmie Johnson's Victory Lanes at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, NC on Thursday, March 29 from 2:00 - 4:00pm/et. More info about the camp at Victory Junction Gang Camp.(3-27-2007)

  • Johnson wins at Atlanta: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway for his 2nd win of the 2007 season, 25th career win and 2nd in a row. The win was also the 151st for Hendrick Motorsports. #20-Stewart finished 2nd, followed by #17-Kenseth, #31-Burton, #42-Montoya, #07-Bowyer, #99-Edwards, #1-Truex Jr., #41-Sorenson and #01-Martin. Pole sitter #12-Newman, after going to the rear at the start of the race, never ran up front and finished 23rd, down 1 lap. #8-Earnhardt Jr finished 14th; #9-Kahne crashed late in the race and finished 39th and is now 36th in drivers points. #01-Martin has an 8 point lead over #24-Jeff Gordon after 4 races. There were 6 cautions for 27 laps and 13 drivers lead the race with 31 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Atlanta Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Atlanta page
    Race Rundown: see my Atlanta Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(3-18-2007)

  • Hendrick going for 200th NASCAR win: Car owner Rick Hendrick now has 199 combined NASCAR victories: 151 at the NEXTEL Cup level, 23 in the Busch Series and 25 in the Craftsman Truck Series. The total includes a 1983 Busch Series win by the late Dale Earnhardt at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a car co-owned by Hendrick and Robert Gee.(HMS PR)(3-22-2007)

  • Johnson's win at Vegas #150 for Hendrick Motorsports: #48-Jimmie Johnson's performance Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marked the 150th points-paying Nextel Cup Series victory since 1984 for team owner Rick Hendrick. Each Hendrick win has come in a Chevrolet race car. Hendrick Motorsports 150th Cup Series win came in its 736th points-paying event (1984-present). That's an average of one victory every 4.906 races. Hendrick Motorsports' 150 Cup victories have been amassed by 12 different drivers: Jeff Gordon (75), Jimmie Johnson (24), Terry Labonte (12), Tim Richmond (9), Darrell Waltrip (9), Geoff Bodine (7), Ricky Rudd (4), Ken Schrader (4), Kyle Busch (3), Jerry Nadeau (1), Joe Nemechek (1) and Brian Vickers (1). Hendrick's career total of 150 Cup wins is best among NASCAR's modern-era car owners (1972-present). Second on the list is Jack Roush with 96 victories. Petty Enterprises is first all-time with 268 first-place finishes in Cup competition. Hendrick is second all-time. Hendrick Motorsports' first Cup victory came April 29, 1984 at Martinsville, Va., with driver Geoff Bodine [in the #5]. Jeff Gordon notched the organization's 50th on March 24, 1996 at Darlington, and its 100th on June 10, 2001 at MIchigan. Jimmie Johnson posted win No. 150 Sunday at Las Vegas. Car owner Rick Hendrick now has 198 combined NASCAR victories: 150 at the Cup level, 23 in the Busch Series and 25 in the Craftsman Truck Series. The total includes a 1983 Busch Series win by the late Dale Earnhardt at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a car co-owned by Hendrick and Robert Gee. Hendrick Motorsports has earned six NEXTEL Cup championships, giving the organization more titles since 1995 than any other team in major American professional sports. With four World Series rings, the New York Yankees are second during that span, followed by the New England Patriots, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Red Wings, who each have three championships in their respective sports (1995-present). With Johnson's win, Hendrick Motorsports has now earned at least one Cup Series victory in 22 consecutive seasons (1986-present). Rick Hendrick was not able to attend Sunday's NEXTEL Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for an event honoring high achievers at Hendrick Automotive Group car dealerships. Hendrick is the chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-16-2007)

  • Johnson's 2nd tire getaway..why no penalty? been asked, here is the best answer I have seen.....as usual, penalties are the descretion of NASCAR and most are a judgement call....
    Q from fan: Why wasn't Jimmie Johnson penalized on the last pit stop when his tire went out of his pits and the official stopped it? The official should not be allowed to do that, and if he does, it should be an automatic penalty! Could you please explain this?
    Jeff Hammond/FoxSports: A NASCAR official is there to referee and give assistance in the spirit of safety. For example, a tire crossing pit road is not in the best interest of NASCAR or anybody on pit road if an official can knock it down. What I believed and perceived at the time was the official saw the crew member trip and inadvertently release the tire while making an effort to carry the tire over pit wall. When the No. 48 team was penalized during the fifth caution, nobody on the team made an effort to catch the tire, and a NASCAR official wasn't close to it. In that first instance, the car clearly had left the pit before they had gotten control of it. It's a judgment call, and it's easy for us to go back because we have instant replay. The officials on pit road do not have replays, and the officials in the tower are reluctant to make calls based off of replays if they aren't able to see the entire circumstance. While some people may think the #48 team got by with one, I have a hard time criticizing what happened because we do not need that tire on pit road. NASCAR officials aren't biased, and they have saved more than just Jimmie Johnson's tires from rolling onto pit road. The officials are there to promote safety as much as anything else. If they can intervene and prevent something from happening, they won't worry about penalties or any other kinds of ramifications after the fact.(3-13-2007)

  • Johnson to Drive Cadillac CTS-V in Charlotte SPEED GT Race: #48-Jimmie Johnson will drive Team Cadillac's #16 CTS- V in the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Thursday night, May 24, 2007. The 50-minute race, the fourth round of the 10-race SPEED GT series, will take place on the track's 1.5-mile banked oval with modifications to introduce road racing elements to the course. The SPEED GT race will follow NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600. Johnson is one of America's most versatile racers. He's race motorcycles, off-road trucks, ASA stock cars, and Daytona Prototypes. Johnson is scheduled to participate in a one-day SCCA Pro Racing test at Lowe's Motor Speedway on March 19 before making his SPEED GT debut in May. The Cadillac CTS- V race cars that compete in the SPEED GT championship are based on the production Cadillac CTS- V performance luxury sedan.(GM Racing PR)(3-9-2007)

  • Johnson to run USO/Power of Pride scheme in the Coke 600: #48-Jimmie Johnson and Lowe's will run a special paint scheme on the #48 Chevy in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a special celebration of America's military personnel. The #48 will honor the United Service Organizations, Inc. (USO) featuring the "Power of Pride", also in the program are Nextel Cup drivers #01-Martin, #24-Gordon, #11-Hamlin, #4-Burton and #21-Wood, see an image of the scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(3-7-2007)

  • Kobalt Tools To Sponsor Johnson in Cup, Busch Races: Kobalt Tools will sponsor the #48 Lowe's Chevy in two of Jimmie Johnson's Nextel Cup Series races as well as all three of his Busch Series races in 2007. Kobalt Tools will also be the title sponsor for the March 18 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway now called the Kobalt Tools 500. The Kobalt Tools paint scheme will appear on Johnson's #48 Nextel Cup car at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 18 and at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 4. Johnson will race the Kobalt Tools paint scheme in Busch Series races at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 26 and Oct. 12 as well as California Speedway on Sept. 1. Kobalt Tools is an industry frontrunner in hand tools, mechanics' tools, tool accessories and just recently introduced the Portable CO2 Regulator which is a portable CO2 tank that connects to any standard pneumatic device for power and strength on-the-go.(GMR Marketing/Lowes Racing PR)(3-5-2007)

  • Johnson's All-Star Win Painting Unveiled: As part of the annual NASCAR Pre-Season Media tour the original painting depicting Jimmie Johnson's/Hendrick Motorsports' victory in the Nextel All-Star Challenge was unveiled. The unveiling was part of the press conference with Nextel, NASCAR and Lowe's Motor Speedway executives announcing plans for the 2007 All-Star race. There will be 500 limited edition prints and 50 artist's proof prints published. All will be autographed (Hand signed) by winning driver and 2007 Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson. For additional information contact Garry Hill Automotive Fine Art, Inc. at 1-800-847-0043 or online at www.garryhill.com.(2-7-2007)

  • Johnson meets with President Bush: Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was honored today in Washington, D.C. for his 2006 championship. The day began with an Oval Office meeting with President George W. Bush, who congratulated Johnson on his victory. Joining Johnson was team owner Rick Hendrick, Lowes Corporation CEO Robert Niblock, NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France and NASCAR president Mike Helton. Following the White House visit the group made its way up Pennsylvania Ave to the Capitol where they were greeted by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. After that meeting, Johnson and the group made their way across the Capitol for a Senate reception led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Also attending the meeting to congratulate Johnson was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Seanator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Bob Casey (D-PA).(NASCAR Media)(2-6-2007)

  • Johnson Honored in San Diego: #48-Jimmie Johnson was at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park yesterday morning to be honored by city, county and state officials as well as the Hall, which has selected the El Cajon native San Diego's Pro Athlete of the Year. His appearance drew an overflow crowd. Although he now lives in North Carolina near the hub of his sport, Johnson said he still has strong ties to San Diego – ties he wants to strengthen. Johnson said the charitable foundation he runs with his wife, Chandra, is looking to undertake a project in San Diego County.(San Diego Union Tribune)(2-1-2007)

  • Johnson wins award: Nextel Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson was named the 2006 Richard Petty Driver of the Year by the National Motorsports Press Association. Johnson, who also won the award in 2004, was named on 28 of 72 ballots cast. The Hendrick Motorsports driver edged Richard Childress Racing's Kevin Harvick, who received 22 first-place votes. Others receiving votes were Evernham Motorsports' Kasey Kahne, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart, Roush Racing's Mark Martin and RCR's Jeff Burton.(SceneDaily.com)(1-22-2007)

  • Johnson's wrist ok to test at Daytona: From a GM PR at Daytona Preseason Testing:
    Q) The Burning Question Is How Is Your Wrist Doing And How Are You Feeling? JJ) "My wrist is good. I'm going to wear a splint in the car just to be smart and to be sure, but the cast is off and the hand is working and everything is good. The timing was perfect. I got the off-season to heal up and I'm ready for Daytona."
    Are You In Any Pain? "No. The pain quit - I'd say the first couple of weeks into it the pain was there, but after that, the pain was gone."
    How Much Driving Have You Done Since Then? "I was down in the islands and they have these crazy little cars that we raced around the islands in and I did a lot of driving there, so this (the test) is my first time back in a race car."
    Will This Affect You In The Daytona 500? "No, not at all. It won't affect the 500. I'm going to be able to race in the 24 Hours of Daytona coming up here real soon and so it's just something that kind of slowed me down over the off-season. I had a cast on my hand and it kind of kept me on the sidelines watching my wife swim and being on vacation and watching my friends do all these fun things and I had to sit around and watch. But, beyond that, everything is good."
    How's Your Pain Threshold? Would You Tell Us If It Hurt Or Would You Try To Not Show It? "Well, it's been almost five weeks. So it's been a long time. The cast is off. I was at the doctor's on Friday and the x-rays look good so everything is in great shape and I'm ready to go."
    How Much Of This Test Session Is To Test The Car And How Much Is It To Test Your Wrist? "None. My wrist is running it's course. We're down here just doing single car testing - three laps at a time basically. I'm just trying to focus on the car. My hand is working. I'm fine. I'll put a splint on it to drive the car just to be smart and to be safe with it. But beyond that, I'm scheduled to run the 24 Hours of Daytona and then the Vegas test and I'm right back in the middle of things."(GM PR)(1-8-2007)

  • No Crew Changes at the #48, but new spotter UPDATE: hearing that the #48 Lowe's / Hendrick Motorsports Chevy team and driver Jimmie Johnson expect no changes to the over-the-wall championship team when Nextel Cup testing begins next week in Daytona with the exception of spotter Earl Barban who is no longer with the team [no idea what team he is going to]. Crew Chief Chad Knuas is reviewing resumes for a new spotter.(1-4-2007)
    UPDATE: hearing Barban will be #38-David Gilliland's spotter in 2007.(XM Radio)(1-5-2007)

  • New Driver for Hendrick Motorsports? Landon Cassill UPDATE: The Gazette [of Cedar Rapids Iowa] is reporting: Landon Cassill, a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, has signed a contract to drive for NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports, he told The Gazette today [1/2/2007]. Cassill joins a powerhouse race team that includes Nextel Cup champions #48-Jimmie Johnson and #24-Jeff Gordon, as well as #5-Kyle Busch [and #25-Casey Mears]. "I feel really, really honored to be part of this organization," Cassill said. "I'm honored to be in such an elite group." it says to "See more of this story in Wednesday's Gazette."(The Gazette)
    AND Landon will move to North Carolina in March to begin working full time for Hendrick Motorsports.(kcrg.com), of note: Cassill can't drive in the NASCAR Cup, Busch or Truck series until he is 18 [July 7th] and since Hendrick Motorsports has four team in Nextel Cup [the limit], it won't be a full-time Nextel Cup ride, look for this to be a development program of some sort [ARCA, Trucks, Busch], also Cassill was part of the GM Racing Development Driver Evaluation program and made it to the final stages.(1-3-2007)
    MORE: Landon Cassill — most recently an ASA racer who surged from 30th to fourth in the October race at Iowa Speedway — will graduate high school in February and journey to Hendrick headquarters March 1, his father said. Roger Cassill said Landon has already tested cars for Hendrick, and his future role with the team will include more of that while he’s groomed as a developmental driver. Cassill said his son may test Gordon’s “Car of Tomorrow” next week. “Hendrick was really good about coming in and saying they think he’s got the talent and they are more interested in developing him rather than making a bunch of promises,” Cassill said. “If he’s not ready he’s not going to race. As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to race.”(Des Moines Register)(1-3-2007)
    UPDATE: Cassill will take part in two tests - one this month - while continuing to build a base of knowledge and experience. Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said Cassill is the only driver with the organization other than defending Cup champion Johnson, four-time series champ Gordon, Busch and Mears. Cassill's progress toward a possible behind-the-wheel NASCAR career will be measured in baby steps. "Right now we're solely focused on seat time," Essex said.(Des Moines Register)(1-5-2007)

    2006 News

  • Johnson to be awarded timepiece: Swiss watch brand Tissot has been chosen as the sole watch provider for the Driver of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated awards in all of motorsports. Tissot will award this year’s recipient, 2006 Nextel Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, with a unique 18-carat gold Tissot Sculpture mechanical power reserve timepiece at the annual banquet held at the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, AL, in April.(fibre2fashion.com)(12-22-2006)

  • Sweden's Ekstrom wins Race of Champions in Paris: Mattias Ekstrom of Sweden beat three-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb of France to win the Race of Champions at Stade de France on Saturday. Loeb raced for the first time since breaking his arm in September and reached the final for the third straight year. He won last year and lost to Finland's Heikki Kovalainen in 2004. Ekstrom downed Citroen driver Loeb 2-0 in a best-of-three legs final after overcoming Formula One's Heikki Kovalainen and three-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais in earlier heats. The Race of Champions, a yearly event since 1988, features 16 drivers from various motor racing disciplines. It was held on a custom-built 0.7-mile figure-of-eight asphalt track with a crossover bridge.(ESPN.com/AP)
    AND NASCAR Jimmie Johnson was scheduled to run for Team USA but. Johnson broke his left wrist last week while participating in a charity golf tournament in Florida. Formula One driver Scott Speed injured his left wrist Thursday in a testing accident at Jerez, Spain and had to withdraw. It was too late to find another dirver so X-Games star Travis Pastrana was forced into one-man duty for Team USA and finished. Kovalainen and Gronholm defeated North American Rally champion Travis Pastrana in the final of the nations cup.(12-19-2006)

  • Johnson Fractures Wrist; Will Miss Race of Champions: UPDATE 5: Scott Speed Injured & Out: Hendrick Motorsports driver #48-Jimmie Johnson sustained a fracture to his left wrist Friday, but the injury is not expected to affect his status for NASCAR preseason testing or the Feb. 18 Daytona 500. Johnson has withdrawn from the Dec. 16 Race of Champions Nations Cup at the Stade de France in Paris, but will attend the event to consult with Team USA. Doctors treating Johnson in Charlotte noted the 2006 NEXTEL Cup Series champion could be cleared to drive a race car in four weeks. The injury occurred as Johnson participated in a charity golf outing in Lecanto, Fla.(Hendrick Motorsports PR/ESPN.com)(12-10-2006)
    UPDATE: The Citrus County Chronicle reported that Johnson was laying on the roof of the cart when he fell.(Associated Press)(12-11-2006)
    UPDATE 2: Jimmie Johnson was "horsing around" on top of a moving golf cart when he fell off and broke his left wrist, his team told The Associated Press on Monday. The version clarifies what happened during the celebrity tournament in Lecanto, Fla., one day after the initial account from Hendrick Motorsports implied that the Nextel Cup champion had fallen out of the cart. Although Hendrick officials gave no details of the accident, Johnson released a statement that said he was "in" the cart when he fell out. "I was in a golf cart and the driver took a sharp turn," Johnson said Sunday. "I wasn't holding on tight enough, landed awkwardly on the ground and heard a little pop." That account differed from one in Monday's edition of The Citrus County (Fla.) Chronicle, which had a reporter at the Black Diamond Ranch who witnessed Johnson horsing around during the Mike Hampton Pitching In Celebrity tournament. The newspaper said Johnson was sprawled across the top of the cart Friday as it headed toward the 16th hole when his playing partner hit a berm, throwing Johnson several feet. Johnson was unavailable for comment Monday, but a spokeswoman for the driver confirmed he was on top of the cart when The AP asked for clarification.(Associated Press)(12-11-2006)
    UPDATE 3: Hearing that American Formula 1 driver Scott Speed will replace Johnson in the Race of Champions Nations Cup this weekend at the Stade de France in Paris. Johnson will still attend as a spectator.(12-12-2006)
    UPDATE 4: Scott Speed, the only American driver in Formula One, was tabbed Wednesday to replace NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson on Team USA's entry in the Race of Champions Nations Cup in Paris.(AP/ESPN)(12-13-2006)
    UPDATE 5: Formula One driver Scott Speed injured his left wrist Thursday in a testing accident at Jerez, Spain, making him the second American driver in a week to withdraw from the Race of Champions Nations Cup due to injury. Indy Racing League driver Marco Andretti, who was also testing at Jerez, was greatly interested in taking Speed's place, but team conflicts prevented it, Hancock said. As a result, X-Games star Travis Pastrana is forced into unprecedented one-man duty for Team USA. The RoC consists of a pair of races -- one of which pits asphalt specialists against one another; the other dirt specialists. Pastrana will compete in both.(ESPN.com)(12-15-2006)

  • Edwards Comments on Johnson's Accident: For those who have criticized #48-Jimmie Johnson for fooling around and falling off a golf cart, #99-Carl Edwards says let's get real. "To be honest with you I´m a little disgusted with the media and some of their reactions to that. It´s pretty amazing. I tried to get Jimmie to go motorcycle riding with me about three weeks into the Chase and he´s like, Carl, I´m focused on winning this championship, I´m not taking any risks. I thought that said a lot about Jimmie´s focus and his ability to sacrifice. To me, if the dude wants to go ride around on golf carts...on top of them or underneath of them or skiing on a rope behind them, I mean he´s the champion, he won this thing, it´s his off season so he can do whatever he wants. I think it´s cool to think Jimmie Johnson was on top of a golf cart goofing around. I mean, you name a person in that garage area that hasn´t goofed around on a golf cart and I´ll give you a hundred dollars."(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(12-14-2006)

  • Johnson up for Athlete of the Year..vote: The acknowledgments continue for 2006 Nextel Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson (#48 Lowe’s Chevy), who was honored during last week’s annual Champion’s Week festivities in New York City. Johnson, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, is among the candidates listed for the 2006 United States Sports Academy Athlete of the Year presented by USATODAY.com and MSNBC.com. The ballot for male athletes includes South Korean speed skater Hyun-Soo Ahn, Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele, Italian soccer star Fabio Cannavaro, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, Johnson, golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, swimming star Michael Phelps, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young. Voting, done online, began Dec. 1 and ends Dec. 25. An overall winner will be selected, along with male and female athletes of the year. Federer was the 2005 overall winner. Sports fans worldwide can vote online at athleteoftheyear.msnbc.com or www.ussa.edu.(NASCAR PR)(12-7-2006)

  • Lowe's To Sponsor Johnson In 2007 Daytona Rolex Races: Lowe's Companies, Inc. announced it will sponsor Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson in both Grand-Am Rolex Series races at Daytona International Speedway in 2007. Johnson will team with Riley-Matthews Motorsports for the Jan. 27 Rolex 24 At Daytona as well as the July 5 Brumos Porsche 250, both on the Daytona road course. Jim Matthews, Marc Goossens, and Ryan Hunter-Reay will serve as co-drivers in the #91 Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype. The team begins testing on Jan. 4 at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 45th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The July race at Daytona is held the Thursday night before the Saturday Nextel Cup race. Johnson has competed two times in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He finished second in 2005 and 28th in 2004 driving for Howard-Boss Motorsports.(GMR/Team Lowe's Racing PR)(12-6-2006)

  • Jimmie Johnson wins 2006 Driver of the Year Award: Although Jimmie Johnson needed an almost unprecedented comeback to win his first Nextel Cup series championship, he dominated the voting for the 2006 Driver of the Year. Johnson, a native Californian, won some of NASCAR's most prestigious races along with his title. He took the checkered flag at the Daytona 500, the Allstate 400, the spring race at Talladega and two other points events. After crashing, in the first of ten races in the Chase to the Cup, he came back from ninth in the standings to earn that precious piece of hardware not to mention a record $15.7 million in prizes and bonuses. "It's quite an honor to be Driver of the Year, it's great," exclaimed the 31-year old driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendricks Motorsports. "I know we've been close before," Johnson added "I'm excited to be Driver of the Year." In fact in Johnson's five seasons in the big leagues he's finished second, twice, and never lower than fifth. Johnson's championship season started in a rocky fashion when his crew chief, Chad Knaus, was excluded from the four opening events. Johnson and the team responded with two wins and no finish lower than sixth during that period. Barry Schmoyer, President of the Driver of the Year Foundation, noted "Johnson, and his team's never-say-die attitude was a great example of how a team, in the face of stiff competition, prevails." Professionals, who voted - in a secret ballot - for a single driver, gave Johnson 11 votes out the 17 cast. Kevin Harvick, the Busch Series champion who also finished fourth in the Nextel Cup standings, scored two votes while Sebastien Bourdais (Champ Car), Sam Hornish, Jr. (IRL), Donny Schatz (World of Outlaws) and Tony Schumacher (NHRA) tallied one vote apiece. In its' 40th year, the Driver of the Year title is unique because it is the only award that encompasses all of the racing series in the United States. A panel of 18 leading journalists and broadcasters from across the U.S. are eligible to vote via a secret ballot. Johnson will receive a trophy, and a TISSOT wristwatch which will be presented on Thursday, April 26, 2007 at the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama.(DOTY PR)(12-6-2006)

  • Johnson named spokesperson: Elizabeth Arden announced that Jimmie Johnson, 2006 winner of the Nextel Cup Series and reigning champion of its premiere race, the Daytona 500, has signed on with the company as national spokesperson for the Daytona 500 Fragrance for Men.(Yahoo Biz)(11-30-2006)

  • Jimmie Johnson Foundation Hats Available: By popular demand, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation is making its apparel available to the public. Here is your chance to own a Jimmie Johnson Foundation hat just like the one Jimmie wears. It is a great way to show your support. These hats are available only through the foundation website, and the proceeds benefit the foundation. Visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org and click on the apparel button to place your order. First run quantities are limited, so place your order now. Additional apparel will be unveiled in 2007.(11-28-2006)

  • Johnson to run ROC in Paris: The organizers of the 2006 Race of Champions - Nations Cup, a unique and spectacular competition that opposes motor sport champions and superstars from across the world, are delighted to confirm the return of NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson and multiple X-Games Champ Travis Pastrana to spearhead the USA's bid to win the coveted Nations Cup. Johnson, currently 2nd in Nascar's title Chase and winner of both this year's Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, was a member of Team USA in 2002 that claimed America's first Nations Cup title in the Canary Islands with teammates Jeff Gordon and Colin Edwards. The 31-year old Californian will participate in his third ROC event (2002 and 2004) and return to the Stade de France in Paris on December 16. Other drivers that have committed to participate in the 2006 ROC event include Formula 1 stars Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Rally World Champions Sebastien Loeb, Marcus Gronholm and Colin McRae, Dakar Champion Stephane Peterhansel, World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, DTM Champion Bernd Schneider, 7-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, etc. For more information on Race of Champions please visit www.raceofchampions.com.(11-27-2006)(ROC PR)

  • Johnson Finishes Season With Top Driver Rating: Not only did #48-Jimmie Johnson out-duel Matt Kenseth to win his first career Nextel Cup championship, he also finished the season with the highest Driver Rating. Driver Rating, part of NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics, uses a formula to rate a driver based on a number of factors including: wins, top-15 finishes, Average Running Position, Average Green-Flag Speed, Most Laps Led and Lead-Lap Finishes. The close championship battle was not only evident in the point standings, but also in Driver Rating. Johnson finished the season with a Driver Rating of 101.9, only a fraction of a point better than second-place Matt Kenseth who finished with a rating of 101.7. Johnson’s slim points lead over Kenseth is also illustrated in five other Loop Data categories. He leads Kenseth in Average Starting Position with 10.8 to Kenseth’s 14.6 and in Average Finish, 9.7 to Kenseth’s 9.8. Johnson’s Average Running Position of 10.8 was also better than Kenseth’s 11.5. Johnson also completed the Fastest Lap nearly 100 more times than Johnson this season. Johnson (1,952) also completed over 100 more Quality Passes than Kenseth (1,820).(NASCAR PR)(11-26-2006)

  • 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion - Jimmie Johnson
    • Jimmie Johnson - 31 years old from El Cajon, Calif. – won the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup championship. He became the 28th driver to win the championship on NASCAR’s premier series, winning the championship by 56 points over Matt Kenseth.
    • Johnson is the seventh different NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion in the last eight years. Only Tony Stewart (2002 and 2005) has repeated as series champion since 1998.
    • His championship comes in his fifth full season of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition. Johnson’s previous best season finish of second occurred in 2003 and 2004. He has finished in the top five in points in all five of his full-time seasons.
    • Johnson won five races in 2006 (Daytona, Las Vegas, Talladega, Indianapolis and second Martinsville). He has 23 career victories in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.
    • Johnson also recorded one Bud Pole, 13 top-five finishes, 24 top-10 finishes this season.
    • Johnson led the standings a four times for a total of 25 races in 2006, including the final three. Johnson took the lead following Race #1 (Daytona) and held the lead for the first four races. He then dropped to third for one race, retaking the point lead after Race 6 (Martinsville) for two races. He was second after Race No. 8 (Phoenix) but came back to take the lead for 16 races the next event. He dropped out of the lead following Race #25 (California) but retook the lead following Race #34 (Texas).
    • Johnson’s worst points position prior to the Chase was third following Race #5 (Bristol). He began the Chase in the second position and dropped to ninth following a 39th-place finish in the first Chase race (New Hampshire). Ranked eighth entering Charlotte, he posted three second-places finishes and one third to move back into the points lead following Race #34 (Texas). Another second-place finish at Phoenix and a ninth at Homestead secured his championship.
    • Johnson’s point lead of 124 points over Matt Kenseth following Race #22 (Watkins Glen) was the largest by any driver this season.
    • Johnson has ranked in the top-10 in the championship point standings for 105 races, the sixth-longest streak in the top-10 since the point system modification in 1975.
    • Johnson won the season opening Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. The winner of the Daytona 500 has won the championship that season eight times. The winner of the Brickyard 400 has won the championship that season six times, including four consecutive years (1998 through 2001) and the past two seasons.
    • This is Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship in his fifth season as an owner. Gordon co-owns the Lowe’s Chevrolet with Rick Hendrick, making this the sixth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup owner championship for Hendrick Motorsports.
    • This is the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series title for Chad Knaus in his fifth full season as a crew chief, all with Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports. Knaus is 35 years old and from Rockford, Ill.(NASCAR Statisical Services)(11-19-2006)

  • Championship Week in NYC: For the 26th consecutive year, the Nextel Cup Series Awards Ceremony is coming to the famed Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. This year’s event is set for Friday night, Dec. 1 and, as always that will culminate a full week of activities for the Nextel Cup champion, and an entourage of other titlists – from the NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Autozone Elite Divisions and the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.
    From a media standpoint, there are a variety of opportunities, starting with a third-year event that has quickly become perhaps THE highlight of NASCAR’s yearly week in Manhattan – Victory Lap, when the 10 drivers who competed in the Chase for the Nextel Cup jump behind the wheels of show cars and provide a colorful – and raucous – parade through Midtown.
    This year’s Victory Lap is set for Wednesday, Nov. 29, starting at 8:30am/et in front of Good Morning America’s Time Square studios on 44th Street and Broadway. Victory Lap ends approximately a half-hour later at the ESPN Zone in Times Square, at 42nd and Broadway. Following will be a media availability session from 9:30-10:30pm/et with drivers.
    Moving on…NASCAR’s annual luncheon for New York and Northeast media is again slated for the renowned 21 Club on Wednesday afternoon from 12:30-2:30pm/et
    On Thursday, Nov. 30, the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon will be held at Cipriani’s Restaurant, which for the first time will be a combination of two long-running previous events.
    For a number of years, NASCAR held an annual press conference on Thursday afternoon of Champions Week, featuring the top-10 drivers and a “state of the sport” theme, while the NMPA (National Motorsports Press Association) had its annual Myers Brothers Breakfast on Friday morning, where a variety of year-end awards were presented.(NASCAR PR), any news, appearances will be posted on my 2006 Cup Awards Page.(11-17/19-2006)

  • Johnson re-ups with Levi Strauss: Jeans, Johnson a Perfect Fit: For Levi Strauss Signature jeans, Jimmie Johnson is the perfect fit. After three years of a successful partnership, the mass retail brand recently extended its sponsorship with the NASCAR driver and Hendrick Motorsports through the 2009 calendar year. As part of the three-year agreement, the Levi Strauss Signature brand will continue to be the official apparel sponsor of Johnson, as well as the official jeans of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team. The Levi Strauss Signature brand will continue to feature the El Cajon, Calif., native in its national marketing and public relations programs.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(10-30-2006)

  • Dodge and Chevy to change models in 2007? UPDATE Impala for Chevy in 2007 COT races: Beginning in 2007, Dodge and Chevrolet will campaign new models in Nextel Cup competition, Yahoo! Sports has learned. Dodge will run the Avenger, while Chevrolet will run the Impala SS, according to sources with some of NASCAR's manufacturers. The change also was indicated in a technical bulletin distributed to all teams last week. Both Dodge and Chevy soon will announce that they have been given approval by NASCAR to change to the new models, with Chevy's announcement possibly coming as soon as this week. According to the sources, the stock car version has been approved for use by Dodge teams for both the current Nextel Cup car as well as the Car of Tomorrow version, starting next season. The switch from Monte Carlo to Impala could signal the end of the Monte Carlo name from the Chevrolet lineup, as its rear-drive design [NOTE: the Monte Carlo is front wheel driven - verified at the chevrolet.com site] is used on its model alone and at the present time, no replacement is on the drawing boards at GM. However, unlike its Dodge counterpart, the Impala SS will only be used by Chevrolet teams for their Car of Tomorrow, according to sources. Manufacturers and NASCAR also are continuing to move forward with plans to change all of the models used in the Busch Series, perhaps as soon as the 2010 season. That change would put smaller, sportier models into competition, like the retro-designed Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger – as well as the Toyota Solara.(Yahoo Sports)(10-24-2006)
    UPDATE: After a decades-long hiatus from stock car racing, Chevy's legendary Impala nameplate - enhanced with the SS performance designation - will once again compete in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series (NNCS) in select races of the 2007 NASCAR season. Chevy's Car of Tomorrow entry, slated to make its first run at Bristol in March of 2007, will be an Impala SS and will share the NNCS schedule next season with the current Monte Carlo SS. The Car of Tomorrow will share both the 2007 and 2008 racing seasons with the current race car design until its first full season in 2009. The new car is scheduled to race at sixteen events in 2007, consisting of those at tracks less than a mile and a half in length, the road courses and the second Talladega race. In 2008, all races at tracks two miles or more in length are expected to feature the new design. Chevrolet introduced the Impala in 1957 as a 1958 model (50 years ago next year) and drivers immediately took to the big car, racing it first on the beach at Daytona, then at Daytona International Speedway in 1959. Redesigned that year, Bob Welborn scored a victory with the new model for the qualifying race of the 1959 Daytona 500 - the first 500 at the Speedway. Success continued for Impala with consecutive NASCAR championship titles in 1960 (Rex White) and again in 1961 (Ned Jarrett). In 1963, stock-car legend Junior Johnson ran 32 races of the 55-race schedule in the famous white #3 Impala owned by Ray Fox and collected seven wins, 12 top-fives, 13 top-tens and nine poles.(GM Racing PR), images of the 2007 #48 Lowe's Chevy Impala on the 2007 #48 Team Schemes page.(10-27-2006)

  • Johnson wins at Martinsville: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 5th win of the 2006 season and 23rd of his career [tied for 21st overall with Ricky Rudd]. Johnson led the most laps with 245. #11-Denny Hamlin finished 2nd, followed by #43-Bobby Labonte, #20-Tony Stewart and #24-Jeff Gordon. Rounding out the top-10 were #42-Mears, #9-Kahne, #66-Green, #29-Harvick and #45-Petty. Points leader coming in to the race, #31-Jeff Burton, lost an engine and finished 42nd, falling to 5th in points. #17-Matt Kenseth finished 11th [the highest finishing Ford driver] and takes over the points lead, 36 points over #29-Harvick. The top-8 drivers in the points standings are separated by 99 points. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a late race run-in with #9-Kasey Kahne spun and finished 22nd, Earnhardt Jr. took blame for the spin. There were 18 cautions for 107 laps and 5 drivers lead the race with 16 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Martinsville Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Martinsville page
    Race Rundown: see my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race penalties, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-22-2006)

  • Johnson DID serve penalty: [since I am tired of answering this question] #48-Jimmie Johnson DID serve the pass-thru penalty after getting caught speeding on his final pit stop at Kansas Speedway. On Speed's Victory Lane it was mentioned Johnson had not served the penalty, no place else was it reported, it was reported on MRN coverage that Johnson did serve the penalty, Larry McRaynolds explains this at FoxSports.com: "There's no question that he served the penalty. It's the reason he finished 14th. The #48 car had a pretty good lead when he attempted to make his green-flag stop. Most of the cars running near the front — Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards — made pit stops as well. Those guys ended up finishing in front of Johnson because they did have to serve a pass-through penalty. As he [Johnson] approached pit road to make his green-flag stop, the #9 car spun out coming to pit road. Making a great move back on the track, Johnson anticipated that a caution was going to come out. If the caution had been thrown, a ton of cars would have gone a lap down, and he would have been in pretty good shape. Johnson probably would have come to pit road and taken four fresh tires, which would have put him in position to win the race. Unfortunately for Johnson, the caution did not wave. When he finally came back around to make a green-flag stop, he knew that he had given up a lot of time slowing down to come to pit road and then getting back up to speed on the last lap. There's a chance that he went over the speed limit to make up ground. If pit road speed at Kansas was 45 mph, Johnson was going in excess of 50 in at least one of the eight to 10 sections of pit road measured by loops. He only had to be speeding in one of those sections to get penalized. The penalty under green is called a pass-through. The driver has to come back to pit road. He doesn't have to stop in his pits, but he must maintain pit road speed. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Busch, was caught speeding under caution at lap 196, and the penalty under caution is starting at the tailend of the longest line."(10-3-2006)

  • Johnson to race in Paris again: Jimmie Johnson is expected to return to Paris for the Race of Champions Dec. 16, and Formula One stars David Coulthard and Jenson Button are also expected. Promoters are hoping to get Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso in the race, too.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-25-2006)

  • Special 60th for Lowe's on #48 at LMS: #48-Jimmie Johnson will run a special paint scheme at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 14th to honor the 60th Anniversary of Lowe's Home Improvement opening. See an image on my #48 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2006)

  • Foamy mess at Hendrick hanger: Maintenance workers at Hendrick Motorsports have a foamy mess to clean up at the company’s airline hanger after the building's fire extinguishing system activated. The foam covered Hendrick aircraft inside the hanger at Concord Regional Airport and workers used fans, shovels and cardboard boxes to push the foam out. The building holds about 1,200 gallons of the foam and firefighters estimated that 500 to 700 gallons of the foam discharged. The foam does not pose any environmental impact and can be dissipated with water, firefighters said. Firefighters have not determined how the system was tripped. The aircrafts were not damaged.(WCNC.com)(8-31-2006)

  • Johnson and the Levi Strauss Signature brand Launch Racing Webisodes: #48-Jimmie Johnson and the Levi Strauss Signature(r) brand have launched a series of webisodes featuring Johnson and his smart-talking sidekick, "Lil'JJ". This is type of webisode is believed to be a first for a NASCAR driver. "Creating the Lil' JJ webisodes was a great experience," said Johnson. "I really enjoyed working with the Levi Strauss Signature brand on this project which shows a different fun side of my personality." The webisodes can be accessed through levistrausssignature.com.(Alan Taylor PR)(8-20-2006)

  • Johnson wins at Indy: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for his 4th win of 2006 and 22nd of his career. Johnson came back from 38th early in the race when he lost a left front tire and had to pit just before the 4th caution, but didn't lose a lap and slowly came back to win the race, leading 33 laps. #17-Matt Kenseth finished 2nd, followed by #29-Kevin Harvick, #07-Clint Bowyer, #6-Mark Martin, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #5-Kyle Busch, #20-Tony Stewart, #99-Carl Edwards and #11-Hamlin-c (14-r)
    . #31-Jeff Burton, the pole sitter and who led the most laps, fell back late and finished 15 [revised from 12th]. #9-Kasey Kahne was involved in an accident on the last lap while running 9th, finished 36th and fell 4 spots in the points to 11th and out of the Chase. There were 9 leaders with 18 lead changes and 8 cautions for 24 laps (counting the last lap caution)
    Race Results on my Indy Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Indy page
    Race Rundown: see my Indy Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race penalties, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(8-6-2006)

  • Knaus Extends with Hendrick Motorsports: #48 Nextel Cup Series crew chief Chad Knaus has signed a contract extension that will keep him with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2010 racing season, mirroring the organization's recent agreements with driver Jimmie Johnson and team sponsor Lowe's. Financial terms were not disclosed. "Chad is one of the great young minds in NASCAR and a key member of our organization," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick. "He's done an unbelievable job building the Lowe's team into a championship contender and we're excited about continuing our relationship with him." In December 2001, Knaus was named crew chief of Hendrick's #48 Lowe's Chevys driven by Johnson, then a Cup-level rookie. The team earned the pole position for its first race, the 2002 Daytona 500, and has since posted 60 top-five finishes, 102 top-10s and a series-leading 21 victories in only 167 starts. Johnson has raced each of his four full seasons with Knaus as crew chief, never finishing outside the top five in championship points. The team is currently first in the 2006 standings with three wins, seven top-five performances and 16 top-10s, best among all Nextel Cup competitors. Knaus' contract was set to expire following the 2007 NASCAR season.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(8-5-2006)

  • Johnson Foundation to build 4-Lane Bowling Alley at Victory Junction: The Jimmie Johnson Foundation announced its commitment to raise $600,000 to build Victory Lanes, a four-lane bowling alley at Kyle and Pattie Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C. In support of its NASCAR Nextel Cup driver, Lowe's, through its Charitable and Educational Foundation, announced it would fund half of the project with a $300,000 donation. Fans may donate to the cause as well by visiting jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org, a limited edition Victory Lanes commemorative coin is available with a donation of $48 or more. Johnson said he hopes the coin and the worthy cause will appeal to NASCAR fans. The first 100 donors will have their coins autographed by Jimmie Johnson. The Victory Lanes coin is featured on a special #48 Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's Chevy unveiled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The car features the Jimmie Johnson Foundation logo on the hood and is scheduled to run in the Busch Series race at California Speedway on Sept. 2. Johnson said his and Chandra's foundation is dedicated to assisting children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. The foundation strives to help everyone, particularly children, pursue their dreams. Lowe's said it supports the Johnson's commitment to community projects.(Jimmie Johnson Foundation PR)(8-5-2006)

  • Shamu scheme on the #48 at Daytona: Shamu will be featured in a special paint scheme on the #48 Lowe's Chevy that Jimmie Johnson drives. The paint scheme is part of SeaWorld's introduction of its new Shamu show, "Believe," open now at all three SeaWorld parks. In addition, Lowe's will offer Build and Grow Kids' Clinics when the Team Lowe's Fan Experience visits SeaWorld Orlando Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2 during park hours, and at the more than 1,250 Lowe's stores nationwide, Saturday, July 8 at 10 a.m. The clinics offer young fans the opportunity to build wooden #48 race cars featuring the Shamu paint scheme that Johnson will race in Daytona.(GMR/Team Lowe's PR), see images of the car on my #48 Team Schemes page(6-30-2006)

  • Johnson to share with Wimmer..for a while: Dover International Speedway has only 42 pit stalls, and since #48-Jimmiw Johnson is starting 42nd on the grid after spinning out on his qualifying lap, Johnson must share a pit stall with #4-Scott Wimmer, who is starting 43rd. "We were pretty excited afterwards," Johnson said about the spin where he amazingly kept the car from hitting the wall. "Shortly thereafter, we found out we had to share a pit stall, and the smiles went away." Most tracks have 43 pit stalls, but Dover does not. Once a pit stall opens up from a car that has dropped out of the event, Johnson can choose to move to the open pit stall or tell Wimmer's team to move. If both Johnson and Wimmer are on the lead lap when the caution comes out, the highest positioned driver will get to pit first. "We've just got to make the most of it and stay ahead of the 4 car [of Wimmer]," Johnson said. "I would assume the first chance we have to separate, we will do whatever we can. We'll split up as fast as we can." Usually when teams share a pit stall, it's two teams low in points and does not create a big stir. But with Johnson being the point leader, the issue has been thrown into the spotlight. "It's tough for me to believe that in today's world of racing, they can't modify pit road and adjust pit road for 43 cars to have their own pit stall," Johnson said. "I just wasn't aware of it. It just doesn't give anybody a fair shot." Wimmer said he hopes the Morgan-McClure team can use the situation as a learning experience. "Just pitting with those guys, we'll learn a lot about pit strategies and things like that," Wimmer said. "It might end up helping us out. But it's going to be interesting the first few stops because there are going to be times where they will want to come in and we will want to come in, too. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you qualify bad." Wimmer said he will be considerate considering Johnson is the point leader, but if he is ahead of Johnson, he plans on coming in with the lead-lap cars and make Johnson pit later. We definitely don't want to ruin his race, but we've got to get ourselves up to the top 35 in points so we don't have to rely on qualifying so much," Wimmer said.(SceneDaily.com)(6-4-2006)

  • Hendrick plans to keep Knaus: #48 crew chief, Chad Knaus isn't going anywhere says team owner Rick Hendrick. When the contract for Jimmie Johnson and his sponsor Lowes was extended until 2010 last week, one loose end had yet to be tied. Chad Knaus, crew chief for Johnson is currently under contract to the team until 2007 and when his name wasn’t among those who were re-signed last week, speculation began that perhaps Knaus would soon be headed for the door. Knaus has been under the microscope after he was caught cheating and forced to sit out for four races at the start of the year and the rumors began to fly that perhaps Knaus would be forced out or would leave to start his own team as his mentor Ray Evernham did several years ago. There’s no problem with the Knaus contract according to team owner Rick Hendrick. “I don’t know how that all got out on the street that we weren’t re-upping Chad,” Hendrick said Thursday at Lowes, as teams get ready for the Coca-Cola 600. “Usually with crew chiefs a year in advance is enough, so we’re happy with Chad and I think Chad is happy. He plays a big part not just in the 48 team, but in our whole organization. We look for Chad to be with us for a long time. We’ve already talked about this week trying to going ahead and finish up the contract and go ahead and put that to bed.”(Cup Scene Daily)(5-25-2006)

  • Red Bull Shop...and rumors: Mears? Sadler? Knaus?: Toyota's Marty Gaunt has turned the lights on over at Roger Penske's old shop [in Mooresville, Lakeside Park], hired about 40 people for NASCAR's newest team, and is now looking for a couple of good men to run Dietrich Mateschitz's Red Bull [Toyota] Camrys on the Cup tour next season. #42-Casey Mears may be signing with Red Bull for 2007, leaving Chip Ganassi. Mears, in the final year of his Ganassi contract, was courted by car owner Richard Childress, either to fill Kevin Harvick's ride if Harvick had decided to leave, or to run a fourth Childress car. #38-Elliott Sadler [but is signed with RYR thru 2008] may also be signing with Red Bull, leaving Robert Yates, who is already dealing with the defection of Dale Jarrett to Toyota's Michael Waltrip for 2007. #48-Crew chief Chad Knaus, who has put Jimmie Johnson in the thick of the Nextel Cup championship race for four years now, may also be getting a major offer from the Red Bull team, though his current contract with car owner Rick Hendrick runs through 2007. Hendrick just extended Johnson's contract through 2010, but Knaus said that no one has talked with him about a contract extension.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-21-2006)

  • Knaus/Hendrick: No Negotiations: Chad Knaus was left out of the recent round of contract extensions at Hendrick Motorsports, and the crew chief said Friday he's not received indication that he'll get one. "I love my job. I love my team. I love it at Hendrick Motorsports," Knaus said during preparations for the Nextel All-Star Challenge. "But no one has talked to me about staying beyond 2007." Driver #48-Jimmie Johnson and sponsor Lowe's both signed three-year extensions this week that keep them with Hendrick through the 2010 season. But Knaus is still working under his old deal, which expires at the end of next year. Knaus was included in the last round of extensions, which came in May, 2003. Not getting one this week created speculation through the garage that something was amiss.(Associated Press)(5-20-2006)

  • Lowe's extends with #48 team and Johnson: Lowe's announced a multi-year extension of its primary sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and the #48 Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Under the new agreement, Lowe's will continue its primary sponsorship of the #48 Chevrolet through the 2010 racing season. Johnson, 30, also signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that keeps him behind the wheel through 2010. Financial terms were not disclosed. The pacts build upon a partnership launched in 2001 when Hendrick Motorsports selected Johnson, who at the time had never started a Nextel Cup race, to pilot the new Lowe's-sponsored #48 Chevrolet. Now in the midst of its fifth full season, the team has posted 21 victories and four top-five points finishes. For more information on Team Lowe's Racing, visit Lowesracing.com.(GMR Marketing/Hendrick Motorsports PR)(5-15-2006)

  • Johnson helps with Soap Box Derby Workshop: #48-Jimmie Johnson introduced an American tradition to boys and girls of the Greater Washington, D.C. area as the Levi Strauss Signature brand hosted a Soap Box Derby car-building workshop in the nation's capital. Youths ages 10 to 17 constructed gravity-powered cars with the help of the Daytona 500 champion and adult volunteers from the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby (GWSBD) chapter. Johnson, the national spokesperson for the All-American Soap Box Derby (AASBD), assisted in the assembly and construction of the cars and offered his racing knowledge to the children who will now have an opportunity to race in the 65th GWSBD championship race on June 17. Local winners across the nation will advance to the 69th AASBD World Championship scheduled to take place on July 22, 2006, with Levi Strauss Signature awarding college scholarships to the winners. For more information on how to become involved with the All-American Soap Box Derby, an official youth initiative of NASCAR, visit www.aasbd.com.(5-5-2006)

  • Knaus Wins WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Talladega: In typical Talladega fashion, the Aaron's 499 played out like a 200 mph game of chess. In the end, it was Chad Knaus' decision to bring the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet in for service on the last round of pit stops which proved to be the game winning strategy. Jimmie Johnson's fresh tires were exactly what he needed to climb through the pack and capture the win. Knaus' triumphant tactics earned him the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race. With 22 laps to go, Knaus was left with the difficult choice of whether to have his driver pit or stay on the track. Knaus elected to have Johnson reload with fresh tires for the final run. The decision put Johnson in 15th place for the restart, but Johnson had little difficulty storming to the front. A panel of voters; including a member of the local media, Tony Eury Sr. and a Wypall Wipers representative; agreed that Knaus' strategy earned him Crew Chief of the Race honors. For winning the Crew Chief of the Race award, Wypall Wipers presented Knaus $1,000. At the end of the season, the Nextel Cup crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000 and be crowned the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. This was Knaus' first Crew Chief of the Race award in 2006, which ties him with Darian Grubb, Todd Berrier and Roy McCauley for second-place in the standings. Robbie Reiser and Kenny Francis are tied for the lead, each with two wins.(Wypall PR)(5-2-2006)

  • Johnson wins at Talladega: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the rain-delayed Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, leading the final lap, drafting by #25-Brian Vickers on the last lap, bring #20-Tony Stewart with him. The win is Johnson's 3rd of 2006 and 21st of his career plus his 2nd straight restrictor plate race win. Stewart finished 2nd, followed by Vickers, #31-Jeff Burton and #26-Jamie McMurray. #24-Gordon was leading with 2 laps to go and got shuffled back and finished 15th. Pole sitter, #38-Elliott Sadler finished 16th. Johnson retakes the points lead and wins the $60,000 NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus for leading the points and winning the race. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost an engine on lap 151 and finished 31st. There were 8 cautions for 34 laps and 22 leaders with 56 lead changes. The stands at Talladega were pretty full even after the race was postponed a day due to rain on Sunday.
    Race Results on my Talladega Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Talladega page.
    Race Rundown: see my Talladega Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(5-1-2006)

    Shamu To Join Johnson At Daytona In July: Lowe's and SeaWorld announced today that Jimmie Johnson will feature a Shamu paint scheme on his Chevrolet when the Daytona 500 champion returns to the superspeedway on July 1. Lowe's is the official Home Improvement Store of all the Busch Entertainment Corp. theme parks, including SeaWorld. The paint scheme is part of SeaWorld's introduction of its all new Shamu show, called "Believe" at each of the SeaWorld parks this year. In addition to the Shamu paint scheme, a lucky race fan will have the opportunity to see the new show and watch as Jimmie Johnson races the Shamu #48 Lowe's Chevrolet. Fans can log on to www.lowesracing.com, sign up for a free Team Lowe's Racing fan club membership, then race the specially designed #48 Chevrolet online. The fan with the fastest time will win a trip to Orlando to visit SeaWorld and Discovery Cove as well as the opportunity to watch Jimmie race. The Contest will run from April 7 to May 12.(GMR Marketing PR), see an image of the car on my #48 Team Schemes page.(4-8-2006)

  • Johnson wrecks in LMS tire testing: #48-Jimmie Johnson crashed in Turn 4 when his right rear tire went flat at Lowe's Motor Speedway during the Goodyear tire test Wednesday morning. Johnson was not injured in the accident, but his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy could not be repaired enough for him to continue to test on the newly repaved track. "The tire went down, lost air pressure," said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear's Nextel Cup product manager. "He had felt the tire start to go down in Turn 1, and in Turn 3, the deflation of the tire completed. ... We're still looking at the tire and trying to come up with a concrete determination of what caused the tire to go down. We don't know if it was a puncture or wear-related at this point." Johnson's was the only incident during the Tuesday all-day session and the Monday morning session. #43-Bobby Labonte, #10-Scott Riggs, #29-Kevin Harvick and Bobby Hamilton Jr. in a truck also participated in the session.(SceneDaily.com)(3-29-2006)

  • Johnson beats Kenseth at Vegas: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a last lap pass during a Green-White-Checkered finish, beating #17-Matt Kenseth by 1/2 a car length. Kenseth led 146 of the 270 laps and Johnson led 1, the most important one, the final lap. The win is Johnson's 2nd of 2006 [in 3 races], 2nd in a row at Las Vegas and 20th career win in 150 starts [13%]. Johnson has 2 wins and a 2nd this season, now leads Kenseth in the points by 52 points. #5-Kyle Busch finished 3rd [and tangled with #20-Stewart again], followed by #9-Kasey Kahne and #24-Jeff Gordon. Johnson is the first driver to win a Cup race from a top-5 starting spot [3rd]. 2005 Nextel Cup champ, #20-Tony Stewart was in the top-5 most of the day until late contact with the wall slowed him to 21st. #42-Casey Mears, who fell from 2nd in drivers points to 4th, still was able to finish 9th, he and Johnson are the only drivers who have top-10's in all three races so far in 2006. There were 7 cautions for 30 laps. There were 22 lead changes with 11 leaders.
    Race Results on my Las Vegas Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Las Vegas page.
    Race Rundown: see my Las Vegas Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(3-12-2006)

  • Johnson admits chief went too far: #48-Jimmie Johnson admitted Friday that suspended crew chief Chad Knaus erred in judgment by utilizing a device to raise the rear window of the #48 Lowe's Chevy to gain an aerodynamic advantage during Daytona 500 qualifying. "Chad is an innovator and has pushed hard on a lot of fronts, but it just isn't worth it, to be honest," Johnson said. "I think [the suspension] sent a message to all the teams. It sent a message to Chad. We've got to walk on the right side of the line." Johnson, who continued to reiterate his Daytona 500 winning car passed post-race technical inspection, is confident he will be a Nextel Cup title contender this season despite losing Knaus to a four-race suspension. "I think we've got to spin this and make it a positive for our race team," Johnson said. "And we're making our race team stronger right now by going through this. I hope it gives us what we need to win a championship."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-25-2006)

  • Explanation of why no points penalty for #48: Examples:
    Points penalty
    Last March at Las Vegas, #29 crew chief Todd Berrier welded the fuel filler so it looked like it was full of fuel when it wasn't.
    Two weeks ago at Daytona, the Hall of Fame Racing's #96 car qualified with an unapproved carburetor.
    According to NASCAR, those two infractions warranted not only a fine but a reduction of 25 driver and owner points because the fuel filler and the carburetor were absolutely unapproved parts. NASCAR was able to walk over to the car and confiscate those pieces, and their use was premeditated. The pieces were specifically made to skirt NASCAR's rules.
    No points penalty
    Last fall during qualifying at Talladega, Berrier and the #29 team had some trap doors in the trunk that weren't properly sealed off. The shocks were open when they were supposed to be closed. And some hose clamp that holds the fuel-filler pipe in place came loose. The next thing you know, Kevin Harvick's car had air underneath the car, going up through the trunk and escaping out a hole in the back of the tail light. In that instance, no unapproved parts or pieces were used.
    During Daytona 500 qualifying this year, crew chief Chad Knaus and the #48 team put a sleeve over the trackbar adjuster. Like the #29 car at Talladega last fall, all of those parts and pieces were still part of the car that they raced in the Daytona 500.
    so....Points penalty: In simple terms, here's the pattern. If you maliciously put something on a car that's made or machined, and it's an unapproved piece that can be confiscated, the team will be fined, the crew chief will be suspended and the driver and owner will lose 25 points.
    No points penalty: If you take something that's already on the car and use it to beat the spirit of the rule, then it warrants a suspension and a fine, but it does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points. See Larry McReynolds full article at FoxSports.(2-23-2006)

  • #48 and #96 Penalties Announced:
    NASCAR announced today that four penalties have been issued to two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, as a result of rule violations this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
    Chad Knaus, crew chief for the #48 Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson, has been fined $25,000 and suspended from all NASCAR events until March 22, 2006 [thru Atlanta race]. Knaus has also been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006. The penalties come because of an unapproved template modification to the rear window area, violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20-3.12.1 (A) (unapproved template modification.) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule book. The violation was discovered during Feb. 12 post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500. On Feb. 13, NASCAR ejected Knaus from further participation in Daytona 500 activities as a result of the violation.[No Point Penalties]
    Three penalties were assessed to the #96 Chevrolet team, due to the use of an unapproved carburetor, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book. Crew chief Philippe Lopez was fined $25,000; driver Terry Labonte was penalized with the loss of 25 driver championship points; and car owner William Saunders was penalized 25 owner championship points. This rule violation was also discovered during post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500.(NASCAR PR)(2-21-2006)

  • Johnson's winning car inducted in Daytona USA: Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team were reunited with their Daytona 500-winning #48 Lowe's Chevy at DAYTONA USA on Monday morning for the Eckrich Champion's Breakfast. After celebrating his first Daytona 500 victory on Sunday night, Johnson, owner Rick Hendrick and substitute crew chief Darian Grubb were up bright and early to induct the winning racing machine into DAYTONA USA. The #48 car will rest inside Gatorade Victory Lane at DAYTONA USA for the next 364 days and will be returned to the team before the start of the 49th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2007. Johnson, Hendrick and Grubb participated in a fan forum inside the attraction and received their winning Daytona 500 leather jackets from Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig and Gatorade presented the 2006 Daytona 500 champ with a framed photo from Victory Lane.(DIS PR)(2-20-2006)

  • Johnson on the tube: 2006 Daytona 500 champ Jimme Johnson is now off to New York City and Los Angeles to handle media obligations that come with being the Daytona 500 champion. First stop will be the Late Show with David Lettermen on Monday night and Live with Regis and Kelly on Tuesday.(DIS PR)(2-20-2006)

  • Johnson wins the Daytona 500: #48-Jimmie Johnson led late and without suspended crew chief Chad Knaus, won the 2006 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway with a green-white-checkered finish. #42-Casey Mears [career best finish] finished 2nd, followed by #12-Ryan Newman, #38-Elliott Sadler and #20-Tony Stewart. The rest of the top 10: #07-Bowyer, #25-Vickers, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #21-Schrader and #88-Jarrett. There were 18 leaders, a new track record. Pole sitter, #31-Jeff Burton in the Cingular Chevy, got involved in a late wreck and finished 32nd. Petty Enterprises started off good, until #45-Petty got caught up in an early wreck, but #43-Bobby Labonte was running in the top-15 until he got caught up in the Burton-McMurray wreck. #27-Kirk Shelmerdine, with support from Childress Vineyards, had a nice run and finished 20th, his career best. #20-Stewart and #24-Gordon tangled, #20-Stewart and #17-Kenseth tangled. Stewart and #5-Busch were penalized for aggressive driving during he race.
    Race Results on my Daytona Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Daytona page.
    Race Rundown: see my Daytona 500 Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(2-19-2006)

  • #48 Team on the phone with Knaus: When #48-Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, was suspended last week after Johnson's car failed post-qualifying inspection, Knaus packed up and headed home to Charlotte, NC. He was banned from all remaining Speed Weeks events, and NASCAR will consider expanding the penalty after today's Daytona 500. Since Knaus went home, NASCAR has approved the Hendrick Motorsports crew chief's post-practice telephone and e-mail communication with his team and Johnson in preparation for the 500. The team has adjusted to communicating with Knaus from four states away. Johnson, though, would prefer his 500 didn't play out this way. "We talk at night and work on a game plan for the next day and work on that test matrix, if you will," Johnson said, "and come back and have a conference call the next evening and talk about what worked and what didn't. It's definitely a different way of working on a race car. I've never been through it and certainly hope we're never in this position again."(Palm Beach Post)(2-19-2006)

  • Hendrick Keeping Knaus: Chad Knaus was sent home from Daytona, but he's not in danger of being sent packing from Hendrick Motorsports. Team owner Rick Hendrick said Knaus still has two years left on his contract, but Hendrick has no intentions of letting him go. "We want him, he wants us, Lowe's is happy, life is good," Hendrick said. "We're going to renegotiate. This was a little bump in the road, but we're going to put it behind us and go on." Knaus signed a five-year extension with Hendrick on May 26, 2003, but Hendrick said he hopes to have a new deal done by the end of this season.(Richmond Times-Dispatch)(2-19-2006)

  • Knaus looking to get canned? UPDATE denied: By the way, a rumor floating around the garage says that [#48 crew chief Chad] Knaus has been trying to get out of his contract at Hendrick so that he can move to Evernham Motorsports, and that he might be trying to get fired to accomplish that goal.(Yahoo Sports)(2-16-2006)
    UPDATE 1a: Daytona’s most ridiculous rumor was that Knaus got himself kicked out of the Daytona 500 because he’s trying to get fired from his job at Hendrick Motorsports so he can go back to work for his old boss, Ray Evernham. Not only is the rumor untrue, it is patently absurd. Knaus worked for Evernham twice, once as one of Jeff Gordon’s original “Rainbow Warriors,” the second time very briefly after Evernham formed his own team. After that, the two split for good, perhaps because their personalities are so similar. Don’t expect them to work together again any time soon.(Speed Channel)
    UPDATE 1b: been told by Hendrick Motorsports Knaus is not looking to leave the #48 team.(2-17-2006)

  • More on the #48 infraction: A respected source in the garage area reports NASCAR officials had a little help discovering the ingenious manner of cheating which lead to the ejection of Chad Knauss from the remainder of the Daytona activities. To add salt to the wound inflicted on the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, this source reports the finger pointing that led officials to the infraction came from within the Chevrolet camp.(CircleTrackPlus)(2-16-2006)

  • Knaus expected gone longer the Daytona: Although NASCAR will wait until next week to decide on its final penalties for Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus and the #48 Lowe's Hendrick Motorsports team, Johnson hinted Thursday that he expects Knaus to be missing from the team for the next few races. Knaus was ejected from Daytona 500 Sunday after NASCAR inspectors discovered he had altered a rear jack bolt to move the rear window on the #48 in an attempt to improve aerodynamics. After busting Knaus, NASCAR sent him back to North Carolina for the remainder of Speedweeks and said that it may levy additional penalties to the team next week. Johnson met with press for about 10 minutes prior to Wednesday’s first Daytona 500 practice sessions. Twice he hinted that Knaus’s suspension would extend beyond Daytona. Referring to Darian Grubb, the team’s lead engineer and fill-in for Knaus at the Daytona 500, Johnson said, “Darian Grubb’s … been our engineer for the race team, he’s been on the (pit) box. He was going to be on the box next to Chad through this year, but now he’s going to be solo on the box for the first few races.” Later, Johnson added of Knaus, “Unfortunately, he stepped over the line. It’s something that he admits, and feels terrible about. He’s at home going crazy over this … He’ll be back after just a couple of weeks at home.”(Speed Channel)(2-15-2006)

  • Johnson could had lost car to NASCAR: After his #48 Lowe's Chevrolet was disqualified after post Daytona 500 qualifying inspection there was a chance Jimmie Johnson was going to lose his primary car for the 500. However according to NASCAR's Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton; "We are not going to take the car. They'll be able to run that car. There are some things we need to work on when we get in the garage area Wednesday morning but the cars fine." Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby explains, "A lot of times you can hold an illegal part or piece in you hand. Then there's other situations where you use what is a very acceptable, very normal and very legal piece on the car and create a procedure that turns that part into something that it shouldn't do." Darby went on to explain what his inspectors found following pole qualifying. "Basically the pannard rod adjusting bolt had an additional clamp on it which enabled that adjusting rod to not only adjust the pannard bar but while the pannard bar was being adjusted it jacked the rear window up." The 48 team must now correct the illegal part for the car to be able to return to the track.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(2-14-2006)

  • Knaus Ejected from 2006 Daytona 500 Activities UPDATE 2 Hendrick Responds: NASCAR announced today that NASCAR Nextel Cup Series crew chief Chad Knaus has been ejected from any further participation in 2006 Daytona 500 activities as a result of a rules infraction discovered following pole qualifying runs Sunday. Knaus is the crew chief for the #48 Lowe's Chevy driven by Jimmie Johnson. NASCAR said the #48 car failed post-qualifying template inspection in the rear window area [had a device installed that raised the rear window after pre-aualifying inspection]. The qualifying time posted by the #48 was disallowed and Johnson will have to start at the rear of the field in the first of two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday. The qualifying time of the #96 DLP Chevy driven by Terry Labonte was also disallowed. NASCAR officials said an unapproved carburetor was found on the 96 car. Labonte will also have to start from the rear of the field in Thursday’s qualifying races. Additional penalties for both cars will be determined following the Daytona 500.(NASCAR PR)(2-13-2006)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today responded to NASCAR sanctions levied against crew chief Chad Knaus following Sunday's Daytona 500 post-qualifying inspection at Daytona International Speedway. "We understand NASCAR's position," Hendrick said. "Our expectations for the team remain high. It's a deep, championship-caliber group and they'll step up this weekend." Darian Grubb, lead engineer for the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams, will immediately assume Knaus' at-track duties in preparation for the Feb. 19 Daytona 500. "It's obviously disappointing to miss the biggest race of the year, but I'm confident in Darian and the rest of my teammates," Knaus said. "There's been a lot of effort put into the Daytona 500 and I know the team will be successful with the support they'll receive from the entire organization."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-13-2006)
    UPDATE 2: Knaus cannot appeal the deci-sion, and Darian Grubb, the lead engineer for Johnson and Jeff Gordon's teams, will assume Knaus' duties at the track in preparation for Sunday's race. This is the seventh time Knaus has been fined and/or suspended by NASCAR for infractions on one of his cars. The first two came in 2001 when he was working on Stacy Compton's car. The other five have come with Johnson. He has been fined a total of $74,250, and this is the third suspension he will serve. Knaus also was suspended two races and fined $35,000 last March at Las Vegas when Johnson's race-winning car was found to be too low. He appealed the suspension, and NASCAR overturned it but put him on 90 days probation and kept the fine and the 25-point docking. In September at Dover, Johnson's car failed postrace inspection but later passed on a second attempt. NASCAR did not punish the team but did rewrite a rule about shock absorbers that Knaus had found a way to work around.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-14-2006)

  • Johnson's qualifying run disqualified MORE Burton and Gordon cars also being looked at AND #96 also disallowed: on Speed Channel's Victory Lane show, Bob Dilner reported that #48-Jimmie Johnson's Daytona 500 qualifying run has been disqualified due to an illegal traction control adjuster on the right rear of the car. Johnson had qualified 5th on Sunday with a speed of 188.762mph and the rear tires were rubbing and smoking during his run. So Johnson will not have his speed to fall back on if he has a bad run in the Gatorade Duel race on Thursday, but since he is in the top-35 2005 owners points, he is guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500. Could be a fine and/or points penalty coming.
    AND Jimmie Johnson qualified 5th on Sunday in Daytona 500 time trial runs. He has been disqualified. Johnson had an illegal off-set track bar adjuster in the right rear of that car. If you remember during his time trial run, the #48 was smoking out on the racetrack in the left rear. With this illegal adjuster, it boosted up the back glass and actually made the left rear rub a little bit so that time has been disallowed by NASCAR. There are a bunch of other issues in the garage area. In fact, some issues with the #31 team of Jeff Burton. That's right. Your Daytona 500 polesitter. Those issues have to do with the engine, and that's being hotly discussed in the garage area right now. In the media center after the Budweiser Shootout, NASCAR said it is researching several things from post-500 qualifying tech, including Burton's car as well as the #24 car of Jeff Gordon.(FoxSports), see qualifying results on my Daytona 500 Qualifying/Grid page.
    UPDATE: been told that Jeff Burton's #31 Cingular Chevy passed inspection and there is no issue with the motor. BUT have been told the #96 DLP Chevy's time has been disallowed due to an unapproved carberator modification, so Terry Labonte will start from the rear at the Gatorade Duel's.(2-12-2006)
    UPDATE 2: NASCAR officials late Sunday disqualified the Daytona 500 qualifying times set earlier in the day by Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and the #96 Hall of Fame Racing Chevy driven by Terry Labonte. According to NASCAR, in post-qualifying inspection Johnson’s car failed a template inspection, while Labonte’s car had a carburetor violation. Both cars had cleared pre-qualifying inspections. As a result, both cars will have to start in the back of the field during next Thursday’s Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race, which will set the final field for the Daytona 500. NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter said Sunday night that additional penalties could be forthcoming. Those penalties could include points taken away from the teams, monetary fines or both. Hunter said that although NASCAR had not confiscated Johnson’s car, that is also a potential option at the sanctioning body’s disposal. “These were serious infractions,” Hunter said, adding that the sanctioning body was treating them as such, given that they occurred prior to the first and most visible race of the season, the Daytona 500.(Speed Channel)
    UPDATE 3 - Suspension?: #48 Crew chief Chad Knaus faces possible suspension for altering the height of the rear window in driver Jimmie Johnson's car before Sunday's qualifying for the Daytona 500. The biggest penalty could come as early as Monday against Knaus, according to a NASCAR source. According to the source, an instrument was placed inside the car that raised the rear window after it went through pre-qualifying inspection to provide an aerodynamic advantage. The height difference was discovered during a post-qualifying inspection and considered a flagrant attempt to gain a competitive advantage.(NASCAR.com)(2-12-2006)

  • Hendrick offer bonus for The Chase: Hendrick Motorsports Team owner Rick Hendrick said he will split a $1,248,525 bonus between his four full-time teams if they qualify, figuring to increase his odds of winning the title. Last season Roush Racing placed its five Fords in the 10-race playoff among the top 10 drivers. Hendrick's lone qualifier, Jimmie Johnson, finished fifth. "We're thankful for what we've done, but that doesn't count," Hendrick said Wednesday during the media tour of Nextel Cup garages. "We're hungry for another championship here. We want to win Busch and Cup titles, we want to all be in the Chase, we have bonuses, we have coins that say all four are in the Chase ..." The bonus amount is comprised of the car numbers of four-time champ Jeff Gordon (24), Johnson (48), '05 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch (5) and Brian Vickers (25).(USA Today)(1-26-2006)

  • Johnson Hits the Big Screen at Atlanta: While his Hendrick Motorsports teammates were hitting the Daytona pavement testing their stock cars, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus were hitting the big screen at Atlanta Motor Speedway today, filming an upcoming episode of the hit NBC TV series "Las Vegas." Johnson, playing himself, starred with Nikki Cox, who gets driving tips from the two-time winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, also plays himself in the episode which is tentatively set to air on February 6. While Johnson may seem like a natural on the track, he admits acting isn't quite so easy for him. "You have a writer trying to write things that you would say and you have to make it sound like what you would say," the driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet said. "Fortunately, I am playing myself, so I can turn to the writers and say 'I would do it like this,' and they are OK with that." Johnson also admits that it could be even more difficult for him. "Remembering the lines and trying to look like you're not thinking about the lines that you have to deliver is the most difficult part," Johnson commented. "If I was playing someone else and there was a particular way I had to deliver lines and have a certain personality, I would be in big trouble."(AMS PR)(1-18-2006)

  • Knaus leaving #48 rumors were just that: Jimmie Johnson said he and crew chief Chad Knaus laughed at the off-season rumors that Knaus was about to leave the Hendrick Motorsports team that fields the #48 Lowe's Chevy for Johnson. "I think it started banquet week," Johnson said. "He called me and asked if I fired him and my response back was, 'No, are you leaving?'" Johnson did admit that he and Knaus were both frustrated near the end of the 2005 season as they again unsuccessfully chased a Nextel Cup title. "Last year was tough at the end and we were frustrated," Johnson said. "I give Chad a lot of credit for how hard he was working. It just didn't give us the results that we wanted. I think...the rumors kind of generated from that. And really, there was not any internal talk, there was not any discussion about a different crew chief, ever, and those rumors were something that we kind of laughed about and joked about."(ThatsRacin)(1-11-2006)

  • Knaus leaving Hendrick? UPDATE 3 staying..but changes: hearing that #48 Hendrick Motorsports crew chief, Chad Knaus may leave the team and driver Jimmie Johnson and go back to Evernham Motorsports [was one of Evernham's first hires, until moving to #92 Melling team in 2001], then Hendrick Motorsports in 2002 to crew chief Johnson.
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports says Knaus has no plans to leave Hendrick Motorsports and has multiple years remaining on his contract.(12-2-2005)
    UPDATE 2: hearing some crew members from the #48 Lowe's Hendrick Motorsports team have left and gone to Evernham Motorsports recently and that one of the Evernham's engineers could be headed over to be the crew chief on the #48.(12-19-2005)
    UPDATE 3: Chad Knaus is not leaving Hendrick Motorsports. It seemed inevitable at the end of the 2005 season, and the rumor is still hot, but Knaus told [Marty Smith] late last week he is working with HMS officials on a new long-term contract that will keep him atop the #48 pit box for the foreseeable future, and he was in the wind tunnel with the #48 team last week. Many key HMS crewmembers, however, have departed the #24/#48 shop during the offseason. No less than four crewmembers are gone from the #48 team, one to Robert Yates Racing, another to Richard Childress Racing, another to Evernham Motorsports and another to Bill Davis Racing. Sources close to HMS said the #24 team lost roughly the same number of crewmen, and to the same teams.(NASCAR.com/Marty Smith)(1-4-2005)

    2005 News

  • Gillette Young Guns - Weekly Update: As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun at Martinsville Speedway [3rd], a $1,000 donation was made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Jimmie Johnson. This is the 11th time this year that a donation in Johnson's name has been made to the NPCC. Info on past contests and the drivers at gilletteyoungguns.com.(Alan Taylor Comm. PR)(10-27-2005)

  • Georgia Pacific to Hendrick? hearing that Georgia Pacific, current sponsor for #45 Kyle Petty, will go to Hendrick Motorsports in some capacity. Could be as a full associate and part-time primary one or more of the Hendrick teams, which are #5-Kyle Busch, #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, #44-Terry Labonte, #48-Jimmie Johnson. Petty had announced midseason Georgia Pacific would not be back, they were also rumored to be the new sponsor for Roush Racing's #6 with Mark Martin driving but looks like AAA will be the sponsor there. Georgia Pacific is scheduled to make an announcement of some sort at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday.(10-26-2005)

  • Gillette Young Guns - Weekly Update: The Chase for the coveted NASCAR NEXTEL Cup continues, and so does your chance to win big. This is the last weekend in which fans who pick the correct finishing order of the Gillette Young Guns - Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, and Matt Kenseth - by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com will have the chance to win $1 Million and a trip to the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a $1,000 donation was made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Jimmie Johnson. This is the 10th time this year that a donation in Johnson's name has been made to the NPCC.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(10-22-2005)

  • Hendrick unsure about attending Martinsville: Car owner Rick Hendrick won't decide until Sunday whether he’ll travel to Martinsville for the Subway 500 cup race. It was one year ago this weekend when a Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed into Bull mountain near Martinsville while attempting to land in foggy conditions.10 people lost their lives, including his son Ricky, brother John and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Hendrick told PRN'S Garagepass; “I’ve learned since the accident that I have to take things day by day. I can have three or four days great and then I’ll get really down and thinking about things. It could be somebody’s birthday or Ricky’s daughter comes over to the house or whatever and it just unleashes a lot of emotions so I just try not to make too many plans. I want to go back to support the guys and I also feel like you just can’t run from it. But, if that morning if it doesn’t feel right then I won’t go.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(10-20-2005)

  • Knaus Wins Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race Award at Charlotte: Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus did it again. Together, the duo overcame a last place starting spot, a faulty alternator and a compressed fender in route to their fourth straight win at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson's win marked his fourth of the season and catapulted him into first place in the championship point standings. For leading his driver to Victory Lane, Knaus won the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. The panel of voters, including a Wypall Wipers representative and Tony Eury Sr., all agreed that Knaus's performance deserved Crew Chief of the Race honors.
    Doug Richert leads the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year standings with five wins. Alan Gustafson and Greg Zipadelli are tied for second-place with three wins. Bob Osborne, Jimmy Fennig, Robbie Reiser, Chad Knaus and Robbie Loomis are tied for third-place with two wins. Tommy Baldwin, Scott Miller, Fatback McSwain, Steve Hmiel, Greg Erwin, Slugger Labbe, Pat Tryson and Pete Rondeau are tied for fourth place, each with one win. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000. Fans can also vote for their choice at wypall.com.(SMC 500)(10-17-2005)

  • Johnson wins at Charlotte: #48-Jimmie Johnson didn't lead until the last 13 laps, but pulled off the win in the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, for his 4th win at LMS in a row, 5th in the last 6 races there, 4th of the season and 18th win of his career. Johnson is the first driver to sweep the races at a track in 2005, winning both Cup races at LMS this season. It was a wild race with a ton of tire problems with most of the problems with the right front, three drivers were leading when they lost a right front, #5-Busch, #20-Stewart and #9-Kahne. The win vaults Johnson into a tie for the points lead with Stewart, although Stewart is the leader with 5 wins over Johnson's 4. The top-10 Chasers are now within 142 points. #97-Kurt Busch finished 2nd, followed by #16-Greg Biffle, #01-Joe Nemechek and #6-Mark Martin. #11-Denny Hamlin, only in his 2nd race, finished 8th and was running in the top-5 until a few laps to go. The race started a little late as NASCAR waited for NBC to finish up with the USC-Notre Dame college football game which lasted until 7:43pm/et, the race was scheduled to start at 7:20pm/et. Due to the tire problems NASCAR mandated a minimum tire pressure for the tires that Goodyear posts in its tire notes and PRN radio said that NASCAR said that teams caught not maintaining the minimum air pressure will lose points. There was an event record 15 cautions for 83 laps and 17 drivers led a lap with 35 lead changes.
    For my race rundown, laps led, DNF's, caution info, Lucky Dogs and some notes, see my Charlotte/LMS Race Info/Rundown Page.
    For race results and awards, and other site links, see my
  • Jayski's Charlotte Race Results/Awards page.(10-16-2005)

  • Johnson to narrate Soap Box Derby special: NASCAR and the All-American Soap Box Derby have created a documentary this year entitled "Derby Dreams: Stories from the 68th All-American Soap Box Derby." It is produced by NASCAR Images and narrated by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Driver Jimmie Johnson and will appear on the SPEED Channel on Saturday, October 22 at 8:00pm/et.(Alan Taylor Communications)(10-7-2005)

  • Johnson accepts blame for wreck: #48-Jimmie Johnson acknowledged Tuesday he was at fault for an eight-car crash at Talladega Superspeedway that scuttled at least one other driver's championship hopes. Johnson had denied responsibility immediately after Sunday's accident, which cost both himself and Mark Martin valuable ground in the race for the Nextel Cup title. After watching tape of the accident that occurred 20 laps into the race, Johnson said he realized he ran into the back of leader Elliott Sadler to start the wreck. Johnson initially claimed he was pushed into Sadler by Dale Earnhardt Jr. "I feel bad, I don't know what else I can say," Johnson said. "I started a wreck and took out a lot of good cars. That was the last thing I intended to do and I feel horrible for it. So I'm taking the responsibility. I needed to see the video to really understand what took place." Johnson was widely blamed by the other drivers in the accident, especially Sadler. "I guess he's trying to keep his streak alive -- he caused a big wreck here last year and he caused a big one again this year," Sadler snapped. "Maybe that's his way of racing here at Talladega ... try to get rid of everybody so he can win the race." Johnson said he has apologized to Sadler, and left a message for Michael Waltrip, who flipped several times during the accident. He now believes the accident was caused because he got too close to Sadler entering the first turn, causing Sadler's car to bobble. Sadler had to slow to save it, and Johnson rammed into the back of him. Earnhardt then hit Johnson, starting the chain-reaction crash. "That's the last thing in the world I wanted to do," Johnson said. "I went and spoke to Elliott immediately after the race and he knew. Even though he was upset, he apologized for saying some harsh things, but he knew what took place and that I got him loose before I actually got into him. I apologized." Johnson was also blamed for starting a 25-car accident at Talladega in April, a wreck that led Earnhardt to call him an "idiot" and create a wave of criticism about Johnson's driving style.(ESPN.com/AP)(10-4-2005)

  • OT to be paid: Hendrick Motorsports will pay more than $350,000 in back overtime wages to employees after an investigation found the racing company violated federal labor laws. The company, which designs, builds and races cars in NASCAR, acknowledged it failed to pay 214 salaried production workers $351,783 in overtime between July 2003 and July 2005. The U.S. Labor Department said it determined Hendrick violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. "We certainly wanted to make sure our employees received any compensation to which they were entitled, so we were glad to make the appropriate payments," Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex told The Associated Press on Saturday in an e-mail. "We've updated our internal policies and do not anticipate any ongoing issues."(ESPN.com/AP)(10-2-2005)

  • #48/#5 too high in post race inspection at Dover? UPDATE: been told that the winning #48 Chevy that Jimmie Johnson drove to victory at Dover didn't meet the height reqiurements in post-race inspection and supposedly the #5 Chevy was too high also. #5-Busch finished a very close 2nd. Hearing the height was over 3/4" off in the rear of the cars. It was mentioned during the race broadcast that the two cars sat higher then other cars on the track. Was told that it was reported to the media that all cars passed inspection, not sure if their is a shock issue or if fines will be handed out, Tuesday is usually the day NASCAR announces such things [except for after New Hampshire last week]. The #5 team was fined back in March for having the quarter panels too high at Las Vegas and the #48 was fined after Vegas for being too low with Johnson winning and Busch finishing 2nd.(9-27-2005)
    UPDATE: For the second time this season, a cloud hovers over a 1-2 finish by Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. The shock absorbers from six cars, including those of Johnson and Busch, were confiscated after Sunday's race at Dover. They were taken for testing to see if they are in compliance with NASCAR rules. Johnson won the event and took the lead in the chase for the Cup championship as Busch finished a close second. Their shocks were taken after their cars had trouble passing post-race inspection. Johnson and Busch had a 1-2 finish tainted at Las Vegas when the rear of Johnson's car was too low and the right-rear of Busch's car was too high during post-race checks. Shocks were also confiscated at Dover from the cars of Penske Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace; and the Roush Racing cars of Mark Martin and Greg Biffle. Of the six, only Busch is not among drivers in the championship chase.(High Point Enterprise)(9-28-2005)

  • Hendrick was nervous: Car owner Rick Hendrick watched nervously from his home the final laps of the race at Dover recovering from a touch of the flu; however that didn’t stop him from getting word to his rookie driver #5-Kyle Busch prior to racing teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson for the win. “I called Doug Duchardt (V.P. of Development) and I said give Alan Gustafson (Busch’s crew chief) a message…tell him to tell Kyle not to do anything stupid…(laughs) Then when the flag dropped on the green, white, checkered I said evidently he didn’t get the message. So, Monday morning I said, you didn’t get my message? Kyle said…I got it….I wasn’t on him…I didn’t touch him! I said, well it was too close for me. But it was good race and a good result.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(9-28-2005)

  • Johnson wins at Dover: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the MBNA RacePoints 400 at Dover International Speedway, holding off teammate #5-Kyle Busch on a green-white-checkered finish to win for his 3rd win of the season, 3rd at Dover and 17th of his career. The win vaulted Johnson into the Points Lead, 7 over #2-Rusty Wallace. Wallace finished 3rd, followed by #6-Mark Martin and #12-Ryan Newman [the pole sitter]. #20-Tony Stewart, the points leader going into today action, had a tough day all day and even with two lucky dog passes still only finished 18th, 2 laps down. #17-Matt Kenseth had a tire go down early, lost a lap, got the luck dog, then late in the race had another tire go down, smacked the wall and retired the #17 Ford in 35th. #97-Kurt Busch finished 23rd, 3 laps off the pace after tire woes and is now 170 points back in 10th spot. Busch led the most laps with 192. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a stout car early in the race, but had brake problems, made an unscheduled pit stop, lost 7 laps and ended up 31st. #38-Elliott Sadler finished 6th and has a 40 point lead over #29-Kevin Harvick for 11th points place. No tempers or crazy wrecks this week, a few tire problems and debris on the track were about it.(9-25-2005)

    For the race rundown, with caution info, lap leaders, some race notes and lucky dogs, see my Dover Race Info/Rundown Page.
    For race results and awards, and other site links, see my
  • Jayski's Dover Race Results/Awards page.(9-25-2005)

  • Johnson to test at Texas: #48-Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to test on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Texas Motor Speedway in prep for the Nov. 6th Dickies 500. No word on if it is open to the public.(TMS)(9-1-2005)

  • 2006 #48 Scheme? UPDATE yep, more images: have posted what is supposed to be the new #48 Lowe's Home Improvement Chevy scheme for 2006, see it in my 2006 #48 Team Schemes page. Supposedly the new scheme will be officially unveiled on Thursday at a Lowe's store in CA.(8-30-2005)
    UPDATE - Lowe's Employee Designs New Paint Scheme For 2006 #48 car: Jimmie Johnson unveiled a redesigned version of his #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet today at the Lowe's store in Santee, Calif., just minutes from his hometown of El Cajon. The newly painted #48 Lowe's Chevrolet was designed by a Lowe's employee and serves as the first major redesign of the car since Johnson assumed driving duties in 2001. The new design, one of six finalists, was the top choice of the more than 20,000 employees who voted. The scheme was submitted by Bryan Turnmire, a production artist at Lowe's corporate office in Mooresville, N.C., a fact that was unknown to the voters. Turnmire is a 14-year Lowe's employee, originally from Creston, N.C. The new paint scheme will debut at the Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 16, where hundreds of Lowe's employees who represent the top stores in the company will be in attendance. The #48 Chevrolet will make its full-time debut in the 2006 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. See my 2006 #48 Team Schemes page(9-1-2005)

  • Papis Tests for Hendrick: Road-course driver Max Papis spent Aug. 23-24 testing with NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports at Road Atlanta in an effort to evaluate the team's gearboxes used specifically in a road-racing configuration. Papis drove the demanding Georgia course in one of Hendrick's NEXTEL Cup Series Chevrolets [#48], which was used as a backup race car at Watkins Glen, N.Y., the most recent road race on the circuit. The Italian driver, who tested Road Atlanta solely in race trim, gave excellent feedback throughout the two-day session and helped garner vital information for Hendrick Motorsports. Max Papis is a works driver for General Motors Racing. He drives Corvette C6.R's in endurance races such as the 24 hours of Le Mans and Cadillac CTS' in American Le Mans Series sprint races. He also keeps a busy schedule filling his time in the Grand-Am series where he pilots the TRG Pontiac prototype in selected sports car races. Max will return to Road Atlanta in four weeks time where he will drive a works Corvette C6.R in the ALMS Petite Le Mans event. Max Papis said, "First I must thank everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for presenting me with this opportunity. Everyone was so professional and helpful. This was my first time on a road course in a Cup car. To be able to do such a test in one of the best Cup cars, with one of the best teams was a great learning experience for me. I felt at home after the first twenty laps. To drive one of these cars really fast requires such finesse and focus, and I have to tell you that the engine is incredible! The car is like a rocket down the straights! I think my experience in different types of racecars really helped me in being able to evaluate and offer useful feedback to the team. I think we made good progress in evaluating the team's road race transmissions. It was all hard work, but for me it was fun. Not only because I had the opportunity to drive such a good car, but also because the guy's at Hendrick Motorsports were so good to work with. I would love to be able to work with them again."
    Ken Howes - VP Competition, Hendrick Motorsports: "The main reason we scheduled this test with Max was to evaluate the reliability of our transmissions in a road race set-up. We asked Max to drive for us because of his road racing abilities and his experience in a variety of different types of racecars. We felt he could help out. We also wanted his input on all aspects of the car. Another point of view. We now have lots of data to sift through. We learned a lot and are very pleased with Max' efforts. It was a very good test."(Max Papis site)(8-29-2005)

  • EA teams up with Gordon and Johnson as cover athletes for Nascar 06: Electronic Arts announced today that its EA SPORTS branded NASCAR videogame, NASCAR 06: Total Team Control, will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. The two avid "gamers" personify the focus of this year's game - Team Racing. NASCAR 06: Total Team Control for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and Xbox video game system from Microsoft will be on store shelves September 1st and is rated "E" for (Everyone) by the ESRB.(Wasserman Media Group PR)(8-22-2005)

  • Gillette Young Guns - Weekly Update
    By picking Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen at the Watkins Glen International on August 14, Connie T. of Grand Prairie, TX was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. Connie picked Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Jimmie Johnson. This is the ninth time this year that a donation in Johnson's name has been made to the NPCC.(Alan Taylor Communications)(8-19-2005)

  • Johnson OK: UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson hit the wall with 15 laps remaining and doesn't remember anything from the time he crashed until he woke up on pit road. He doesn't recall driving his car into the pits. Johnson was treated and released from a hospital, but his crew chief, Chad Knaus, was unhappy with the response to the accident. He said Johnson walked all the way to the garage before getting any medical attention. "His bell was definitely rung," Knaus said. NASCAR said Johnson initially refused medical attention from two emergency attendants.(Rocky Mountain News)(8-9-2005)
    ORIGINAL: It was a disastrous race for pre-race points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson, who started 42nd after his car failed inspection on Saturday. He was able to drive into the top 20 early in the race but spun out and wound up being sent to the rear of the lead lap cars after making two pit stops for repairs when NASCAR had pit road closed. Johnson was dazed after slamming hard into the wall late in the race. Calling it the "hardest hit I've taken," he had to be helped out of his car in the pits when the engine caught fire. Asked if he realized the car was on fire, Johnson said, "No, I don't really remember coming from turn four to the pits. I just remember kind of waking up on pit road and the guys pulling me out of the car. So, it's all good." Johnson, who fell to second place in the standings, 75 points behind Stewart, was examined at Methodist Hospital and released.(USA Today)(8-8-2005)

  • So...why didn't Johnson get to qualify at Indy? Jimmie Johnson, points leader and driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevy did not make a qualifying lap, and will start the Allstate 400 at the rear of the field because the car did not make it through inspection and get to the line in time. From a GM Q&A PR with crew chief Chad Knaus:
    WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH PASSING INSPECTION? We just had a little problem with the chain that holds the droop on the right rear. NASCAR didn't like the way it was. It wasn't a big deal. We were trying to fix it; we just didn't have time. We didn't come up here and test, so we spent a lot of time after practice trying to make sure we had the exact shock and spring package on the car that we wanted. It put us behind from the getgo. We left the garage about 15 minutes later than we were supposed to and that put us behind. And then when we had that issue with technical inspection, we just couldn't recover from that and get out there in time.
    CAN YOU GIVE US A LAYMAN'S EXPLANATION OF THIS CHAIN AND HOW IT GOES THROUGH INSPECTION? When you watch the guys do pit stops and they jack up the car, there's a chain that holds the axle housing to the chassis, and that's what picks up the tire. NASCAR just didn't like the way that was. It was a little bit too snug for them. So we had to adjust it.
    DID YOU AGREE WITH NASCAR'S DECISION TO NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE A LAP? Oh, yeah. We didn't make it, plain and simple. They've got a five-minute rule and they hold to that pretty true. I don't think we were the first one. I think the #38 car maybe even had than happen here a couple of years ago, I don't know. It happens from time to time. When you're in a compressed schedule like what we've got here because of the weather and then putting it into an impound situation. And then we weren't able to test. We were really trying to dot all our i's and cross all of our t's and we just got behind.
    WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS? Well, me. I'm the crew chief. Ultimately. Look at the rule book. Everything is my fault.(GM Racing PR)(8-7-2005)

  • Johnson to a back up, not a tire: #48-Jimmie Johnson quotes regarding Friday practice accident at Pocono Raceway, Johnson crashed in Turn 1 during Friday's first practice session.
    WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?
    Well, I just got loose into Turn 1, spun out and tore up the race car. If there's a time to have it happen, now is the time. There's a long break before the second practice. We'll take it from there. Just trying hard and got loose. One of those deals.
    IT WAS A HARD HIT. ARE YOU OKAY?
    Everybody's asked. It was a really soft impact from my spot, so I guess everything crushed around me like it needed to. Everything's fine.
    ANY INDICATION OF A TIRE GOING DOWN?
    #I knew when I turned off into the corner that I was loose and as I started cycling through the bumps it just kept coming around. At that point you just kind of drop your head and hold on.(GM Racing PR)(7-22-2005)

  • Stewart catching Johnson: Over the past five races, #20-Tony Stewart has gained 295 points on #48-Jimmie Johnson, outscoring the points leader 905-610.(Gaston Gazette)(7-18-2005)

  • Biffle got wrong idea says Johnson: Becoming the points leader was special for #16-Greg Biffle on Sunday at Infineon Raceway, but what he said made it better was the perceived slight he got from #48-Jimmie Johnson, who had been leading the points. Biffle noted how Johnson laughed after Biffle got off course Friday in qualifying and started 41st in the 43-car field. "I hate that he misunderstood it,'' Johnson said. "I know his team knows where I'm coming from because they were standing right there with me when I watched it on the Jumbotron when he went off the track. I was applauding him. I thought he did a great job saving the car. If you look on the video from qualifying, I'm clapping and commending him on his job of saving the car and you can see my lips say 'great save.' '' (Ronokae Times)(6-29-2005)

  • Executive Changes at Hendrick: In a tactical realignment of his business entities, Rick Hendrick today announced personnel changes affecting the Hendrick Automotive Group (HAG), Hendrick Motorsports and, now, the Hendrick Companies. As part of the refreshed business model, Hendrick introduced longtime Automotive Group executive Jim Huzl as president and chief executive officer of Charlotte-based HAG. In his new role, effective July 1, Huzl will oversee the direction of one of the nation's largest privately held auto retailers with 68 franchises, 4,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in revenue. Sharing Huzl's former duties as HAG's chief operating officer will be three new senior vice presidents: Tom Blocker, East Division; Kirk Heppler, West Division; and Gary Davis, who will manage retail operations support. Huzl succeeds Jim Perkins, who will transition to become the first president and COO of the Hendrick Cos., an organization recently formed to manage strategic initiatives relative to Hendrick's various business enterprises. Perkins will continue to serve as a member of HAG's partnership committee.
    Bobby Rice, a trusted friend and business associate of Hendrick since 1976, was named executive vice president of the Hendrick Cos. and special adviser to the chairman. Rice also will work in a consultative capacity with Hendrick Motorsports, which fields multiple stock-car racing teams in two different divisions of sanctioning body NASCAR..(HMS PR)(6-20-2005)

  • New Campaign Features All-American Soap Box Derby Spokesperson Jimmie Johnson: NASCAR and All-American Soap Box Derby (AASBD) announced they have teamed up to launch the first-ever national advertising campaign centered around the Derby. The AASBD is one of the most established grass roots youth and family organizations in the United States and a NASCAR official youth initiative. The print and broadcast spots feature one of racing's most popular drivers Jimmie Johnson, the current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series points leader, who was recently named the AASBD national spokesperson. Johnson is the official spokesperson for the Levi Strauss Signature brand, which is currently the title sponsor for the AASBD. A first for the AASBD in its 68-year history, the new campaign titled "Wind Tunnel" is part of NASCAR's effort to raise awareness for this great youth pastime. The 30-second commercial, created by Jump Co. of St. Louis, will break in June. Mirroring what takes place at NASCAR race shops, the spot shows Johnson assisting a group of children as they go through the steps of building an actual Soap Box Derby car. Johnson supports the kids in a simulated wind tunnel setting and helps fit the car with a cardboard template, illustrating some of the Derby's core values, such as: basic construction skills, teamwork, friendship and the completion of a project. The spot is set to air in NASCAR race broadcasts on FOX, FX, NBC and TNT as well as other NASCAR-related programming on SPEED Channel. The print campaign also shows Johnson working with a group of kids on a Soap Box Derby car. The advertisements will run exclusively in NASCAR-licensed publications, including NASCAR Scene, NASCAR Illustrated and NASCAR Games and Puzzles and will encourage consumers to get involved by joining local AASBD chapters. In Soap Box Derby, boys and girls ages 8-17 build gravity powered cars from kits with assistance from a parent or other adult and compete in more than 450 races in 170 cities across the country. Held annually since 1934 in Akron, Ohio, local race winners advance to the AASBD Championship, which will be held this year on July 30. To get involved or for more information on the AASBD, call (330-733-8723) or visit www.aasbd.com.(Alan Taylor Communications)(6-15-2005)

  • Gillette Young Guns - Weekly Update: By picking Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the MBNA RacePoints 400 at Dover International Speedway on June 5, Chastity M. of Fond du Lac, WI was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. Chastity picked Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Johnson. This is the sixth time this season a donation has been made to the NPCC on behalf of Johnson.(Alan Taylor Communications)(6-9-2005)

  • Levi's to sponsor Soap Box Derby, Johnson involved: The Levi Strauss Signature brand has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the All-American Soap Box Derby (AASBD) to become the title sponsor of the premier youth and family oriented racing program in the United States. The AASBD's annual event, held since 1934 in Akron involving boys and girls ages 8-17, will be called the All-American Soap Box Derby presented by Levi Strauss Signature. In addition, the Levi Strauss Signature* brand's spokesperson and current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series points leader Jimmie Johnson will serve as the AASBD's national spokesperson. A NASCAR official youth initiative, the AASBD season runs year-round and is comprised of more than 450 races across the United States and overseas, culminating with the 68th AASBD Championship scheduled for July 30, 2005. Each competitor builds his / her own gravity-powered car from kits purchased from the AASBD, typically with assistance from a parent or other adult. By nurturing children to become solid community citizens through the teaching of basic construction skills, teamwork, the spirit of competition, perseverance and family values, the AASBD is highly respected by community leaders, educators, racing enthusiasts and beginners alike. For more information about the Levi Strauss Signature brand and its products visit levistrausssignature.com. To get involved or for more information on the About the All-American Soap Box Derby, call (330-733-8723) or visit www.aasbd.com.(Alan Taylor Communications)(5-20-2005)

  • Last double DNF for #24 and #48? Before Saturday at Ricmond's Cup race, the last time Hendrick Motorsports teammates #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson both failed to finish a race was at Dover on June 6, 2004.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-17-2005)

  • Hendrick Suspensions different?: #24-Jeff Gordon made a rare driving mistake, one which resulted in his hitting the wall and doing damage to the front end of his car. And being the class act he is, Gordon admitted making the mistake on national television. "It was one of the stupidest things I've ever done in my life," he said. Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson also had front-end woes that put him out of the race early. I [Yahoo! Sports] was told that the Hendrick Motorsports guys have found something that makes the front end suspension of their cars work better. I [Yahoo! Sports] understand it has to do with both mechanical and aerodynamic elements. Perhaps it also has made their front suspensions more susceptible to damage.(Yahoo Sports)(5-16-2005)

  • Johnson has spoken to Dale Jr.: Jimmie Johnson says he’s talked with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and everything is okay between them. This after Junior on Tuesday during testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway called Johnson an “idiot” and blamed him for causing both major crashes last Sunday at Talladega. "Yeah it (Dale’s comments) defiantly caught me off guard, said Johnson, and from what I understand he (Dale Jr.) was put in a bad position during the interview…was put on the spot and some allegations of a comment that came out of my mouth…so looking at that I don’t blame him for saying what he did and I spoke to him and everything’s fine there. We’ll just move on. It’s racing and this Lowe’s team is very strong…I believe in my team and they believe in me and I know everybody in the garage area respects me. Everybody’s given their opinion, right or wrong everyone can point fingers in every direction but in my opinion it’s a racing incident."(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(5-6-2005)

  • Jimmie Johnson To Join Rumsfeld At Troop Support Concert: #48 Lowe's Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson will join Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and country music stars Thursday afternoon at the Pentagon for the first "America Supports You" Salute to Our Military Men and Women concert. Johnson will be at Darlington Raceway preparing for Saturday night's NASCAR Nextel Cup race, but will join the Pentagon concert via satellite. Johnson, Rumsfeld, and Lowe's executives will unveil the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet carrying the "America Supports You" decal on the rear deck lid (trunk). This car plus the #5 Lowe's Busch Series car will race with the decal at Darlington, Richmond and Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte during the month of May. The hour-long concert, scheduled to begin at 12:15pm/et, will include singers Keni Thomas, Craig Morgan and Rockie. It will air live on the Defense Department's American Forces Radio and Television Service to 177 countries throughout the world. In addition to the Pentagon event, Lowe's will offer free "America Supports You" bumper stickers in its more than 1,100 stores across the country and take its Team Lowe's Fan Experience interactive mobile display to six military bases. Military families will have an interactive experience with Team Lowe's Racing. Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet will provide "Dare to Repair" clinics on the Fan Experience using products from local Lowe's stores.(GMR Live PR)(5-5-2005)

  • Johnson wins 1st Qtr Driver of the Year: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Speed Channel Driver of the Year first quarter, 2005. The voting saw six drivers earning first place ballots, but Johnson had the most with six. With 93 points beat the Indy Racing League’s Dan Wheldon (at 86), and Nextel Cup runner-up Greg Biffle (74). Four-time series champion and four-time Driver of the Year, Jeff Gordon had three first-place votes he earned 49 points. A total of 17 drivers scored points in the first quarter voting, including fifth place Steve Kinser, with one first-place votes in the World of Outlaws series. Sebastien Bourdais, the defending Champ Car World Series champ was sixth. Noteworthy; Kevin Harvick racing in both the Nextel Cup and Busch series won the fan vote, and Carl Edwards who also drove in both series was second. Gordon was third.. More than 32,000 fans clicked their votes on the www.SpeedTV.com website. In its’ 39th year, the Driver of the Year title is unique because it is the only award that encompasses all of the racing series in the United States and fan participation. A panel of 18 leading journalists from across the U.S. and a fan vote on Speedtv.com determine the winner. In quarterly voting, points are awarded on a declining 9,6,4,3,2,1 basis. Johnson will receive a trophy and a Maurice Lacroix wristwatch to be presented on Speed TV. President of the Speed Channel Driver of the Year Foundation is Barry Schmoyer, businessman and sportsman of Sarasota, Florida.(Speed Channel)(4-24-2005)

  • Gillette Young Guns - Weekly Update: By picking Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the Radio Shack / Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 17th, Patricia K. of East Bangor, PA was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. Patricia picked Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Johnson. This is the fourth time this season a donation has been made to the NPCC on behalf of Johnson. In last year's Checker Auto Parts 500 [Nov 2004] at Phoenix, all six members of the Gillette Young Guns finished in the top-ten, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking the checkered flag followed closely by fellow Young Gun Ryan Newman.(Alan Taylor Communications)(4-21-2005)

  • Johnson's streak continues: #48-Jimmie Johnson finished 8th at Martinsville and has scored five victories and 12 top-10 finishes in the 12 races since Charlotte last October. Johnson is the only driver to score top-10 finishes in all six races in 2005.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(4-11-2005)

    Hendrick may attend Martinsville: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick is leaning toward attending today's Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. It's the first event at the track since a Hendrick plane crashed on the way to Martinsville last October. Engine builder Randy Dorton, General Manager Jeff Turner, President John Hendrick and Vice President Ricky Hendrick were among the 10 killed in the crash. Besides his brother and son, Rick Hendrick also lost two nieces.(Richmond Times Dispatch)
    NOTE: Hendrick is at the track today for the race.(4-10-2005)

  • Johnson Gillette Young Gun at Atlanta: By picking Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the Golden Corral 500, Presented by Gillette Mach3 Turbo Nitro at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 20th, Cynthia W. of Conyers, GA was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. Cynthia picked Johnson as the highest finishing Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Johnson. This is the third time this season a donation has been made to the NPCC on behalf of Johnson.(Alan Taylor Communications)(3-29-2005)

  • THE RULING ANNOUNCED on the APPREAL
    National Stock Car Racing Commission Statements
    #48 Team: On March 22, 2005, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the Appeal of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus concerning three penalties assessed by NASCAR relative to the #48 car following the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 13, 2005. The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing” and Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules: roof height too low in post-race inspection.”
    The penalties assessed were:
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Car Owner Points for car owner Jeff Gordon.
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Driver Points for Jimmie Johnson.
    • $35,000.00 fine and suspension from NASCAR until April 6, 2005 and suspension from the next two (2) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races for crew chief Chad Knaus.
    The car was in violation of the rules at the conclusion of the race. This was not contested during the hearing.
    Upon review of the evidence presented, and by a majority vote, it is the decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to uphold the penalties assessed against Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson and to amend the penalty assessed against Chad Knaus as follows:
    $35,000.00 fine. Probation for 90 days, effective from the date of this Hearing.
    This decision pertains specifically to the evidence presented in this Appeal. The Commission’s rulings do not have a bearing on existing or announced NASCAR enforcement policies. The Appellant has the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner. Commission were John Cooper, Jack Housby, George Silbermann, Chairman.(NASCAR)(3-23-2005)

    What Does this mean? everything stands EXCEPT the suspensions to Knaus and Gustafson have been recinded.

  • Hendrick Statement: Team owner Rick Hendrick today commented on the results of Tuesday's NASCAR appeal hearing, which today rescinded the suspensions of two Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs. "I appreciate NASCAR giving us the opportunity to present the facts," Hendrick said. "From our perspective it's important everyone, especially our fans, know that we absolutely had no intention of breaking any rules. This sport has a rule book for good reason, and it's vital it be enforced. As an owner, I know it's equally important to have a just forum for teams and a fair system of checks and balances. We respect NASCAR's decision and look forward to carrying some momentum into Bristol."(Hendrick Motorsports)(3-23-2005)

  • Young Guns Update: By picking #48-Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 13th, Sam H. of Paducah, KY was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. Sam picked Johnson as the highest finishing Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Johnson. This is the second time this season a donation has been made to the NPCC on behalf of Johnson. This is the last race in which consumers can celebrate the beginning of the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season with the Gillette Young Guns $1 Million Watch & Win Sweepstakes. This exciting new promotion offers race fans the chance to win $100,000 during each of the first four races of the season, starting with this year's Daytona 500. Info at www.gilletteyoungguns.com.(Alan Taylor Commincations)(3-18-2005)

  • Been Asked - UPDATEs:
    1) Does #48-Jimmie Johnson get to keep the $30,000 NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus he won at Las Vegas for winning the race and having the points lead? I can only assume [gasp] so as last year, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. was docked 25 points and fined at Talladega, he had won the award and was allowed to keep it as he did lead the points after the win.
    2) Can any of the suspended crew chief communicate with the team as Michael 'Fatback' McSwain did with the #21 team when he was out due to back surgery? While I directly do not know if, I doubt NASCAR [who monitors the scanners] would allow direct contact with the driver, they may be able to sneak a cell phone call in.
    UPDATE on #2: None of the suspended crew chiefs will be permitted to communicate with their race teams via cell phone or radio during the time they are suspended, NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said.(FoxSports/AP).
    3) And no word if Fatback will be back at the track for the Atlanta race to call the shots for #21-Ricky Rudd.
    UPDATE on #3: XM Radio reports that Michael "Fatback" McSwian, crew chief for the #21, is at Atlanta and back working.(XM Satellite NASCAR Radio)(3-18-2005)

  • Appeals Allow Suspended Crew Chief's to be at Atlanta; Berrier to sit out: NASCAR crew chiefs Chad Knaus [#48] and Alan Gustafson [#5] will be allowed to compete in Atlanta this weekend while they appeal their two-race suspension. Both were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly cheating at Las Vegas last weekend. Team owner Rick Hendrick appealed, and the National Stock Car Racing commission can't assemble until next week to hear their case, NASCAR officials said Wednesday. Under NASCAR's rules, the crew chiefs can still compete until their appeal has been heard. Todd Berrier was suspended for four races, and NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said they expected to receive notice of his plans to appeal in time for him to compete in Atlanta this weekend.(AP/ESPN.com). Richard Childress said onSpeed Channel's NASCAR Nation that Berrier will sit out the Atlanta race and the suspension will be appealled.(3-17-2005)

  • Top Two Finishers May Face Penalties UPDATE Penalties, Fines and Suspensions: Speed Channel is reporting that #48-Jimmie Johnson, the winner at Las Vegas, was found in post race inspection to be too low and the 2nd place finisher #5-Kyle Busch's Chevy quarter panels were too high. NASCAR decisions will come Monday or Tuesday. The win will probably stand.(3-13-2005)
    UPDATE: NASCAR probably won't take away #48-Jimmie Johnson's victory in Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, despite his car's failing an inspection after the race for being too low at the roof. First, it might be difficult to give the win to teammate #5-Kyle Busch, who finished second, because Busch's car also failed post-race inspection, for being too high at the rear quarterpanels. But it's not nice to try to fool John Darby, NASCAR's competitions director, and his justice may be harsh for both Johnson and Busch. But, a win is a win, no matter the asterisks - and no matter the razzing from rivals. The low roof that led to Johnson's violation would likely provide both an edge in speed on the straightaways as well as better handling in the corners because more air would reach the crucial rear spoiler. The high rear quarterpanels that led to Busch's violation would likely provide an edge in handling in the corners, because the rear spoiler would be higher. What NASCAR will likely do is take away enough points, probably 25, to knock Johnson out of the Nextel Cup points lead. That would put Kurt Busch, who finished third, back atop the standings.(Winston Salem Journal)
    Wanna stop the cheating....take the freakin' win away, make a statement, that starting next week, post-RACE infractions cost 25 points, if it is the winner, they drop to 4th or 5th, and the win goes to the 2nd place car, or the next legal car.(3-15-2005)
    UPDATE - Fines, Penalties and Suspensions: NASCAR has announced that rule infractions this past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have resulted in the suspension of three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chiefs.
    The #48 Chevrolet team received three penalties, due to the car's roof height being too low in post-race inspection — a violation of Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules). A penalty of 25 driver points dropped Jimmie Johnson — the race winner at Las Vegas — back to second place (500 points) in the standings, 10 behind reigning series champion Kurt Busch (510). Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, has been suspended from competition for the next two races and fined $35,000; Jeff Gordon, the #48 car owner, has been penalized 25 owner points.
    #29 Team: Todd Berrier, crew chief for the #29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick, has been suspended for the next four races and fined $25,000. Those penalties resulted from the #29 having an unapproved fuel filler and unapproved fuel cell vent. The car was in violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q. The violation was found during post-qualifying inspection. In addition to Berrier's penalties, Harvick has been penalized 25 driver championship points, dropping him from eighth to 10th in the driver standings, while car owner Richard Childress loses 25 car owner championship points.
    #5 Team: Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the #5 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Busch, has been suspended for two races and fined $25,000, due to the car's quarter-panel heights being too high in post-race inspection — also violations of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q. Busch has been assessed 25 driver points, dropping him from 18th to 22nd in the standings; car owner Rick Hendrick loses 25 owner points.
    In addition:
    Harold Holly, crew chief for the #32 Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton Jr., was fined $5,000 because of the #32 having an unapproved deck lid, a violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q that was determined during opening-day inspection.
    John Latchford, crew chief for the #89 Dodge driven by Morgan Shepherd, was fined $1,000 because of an unapproved fire suppression agent found during opening-day inspection. That also violated Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q.
    Larry Carter, crew chief for the #2 Dodge driven by Rusty Wallace, was fined $1,000. During opening-day inspection, the car's shoulder harness did not have a date tag displayed, a violation of Sections 17.2-C (and 12-4-A).(Fox Sports/Sporting News)
    POINTS UPDATED on my Jayski's Drivers/Owners Points after Las Vegas page.(3-15-2005)

  • Hendrick Responds to sanctions and to Appeal: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, today responded to sanctions levied by NASCAR on two of his NEXTEL Cup Series entries. "I'm not disputing NASCAR's right to levy sanctions," Hendrick said. "As a team owner, I understand why these standards are in place and have always taken pride in the fact that our organization has kept a very clean record. In this particular instance, though, we disagree with the severity of NASCAR's stance and plan to appeal their decision. I want to make it clear that we in no way intentionally ignored guidelines and I'm certain everyone understands that."(Hendrick Motorsports)(3-15-2005)

  • Seven Drivers in Tylenol Spots: Johnson & Johnson has signed endorsement deals with seven Nextel Cup drivers to promote the launch of Tylenol's Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels, Street & Smiths's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Elliott Sadler make up Team Tylenol. The campaign will include television ads during race broadcasts and sponsorship at 11 tracks. Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon are scheduled to be featured on packages of the product sold during the third quarter of the year. Exact financial terms of the deal were not reported, but the story by Terry Lefton says the entire campaign is "an eight-figure investment."(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-8-2005)

  • Johnson top young gun at Calif: By picking Jimmie Johnson as the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on February 27th, John B. of Marshall, TX was the winner of the weekly Gillette Young Guns $5,000 Challenge. John picked Johnson as the highest finishing Young Gun by going to www.gilletteyoungguns.com and entering before the weekly deadline. As the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun, a $1,000 donation will be made to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) on behalf of Johnson. This is the first time this season a donation has been made to the NPCC on behalf of Johnson.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(3-8-2005)

  • Meeting at the White Trailer: After the post-race garage altercation between #20-Tony Stewart and #48 Crew Chief Chad Knaus, NASCAR officials called Stewart, Johnson and their crew chiefs to the hauler. Ten minutes later, Stewart and Johnson emerged together proclaiming friendship, in a very unusual, almost bizarre peace scene. "It's fine," Stewart said. "Like Jimmie says, we're racing on the last lap of the Daytona 500. I was mad he pinched me into the fence. We bumped into each other; we both did the same thing to each other. So it's fine. We both had good weeks here; we both finished in the top-10. We're both leaving here in a good situation in the points. NASCAR, more than anything, wanted to make sure it wasn't something that would linger overnight. Like I told Jimmie, we're both really, really good friends, and this isn't even something that's going to linger tonight. It's over with."(Winston Salem Journal)
    AND #48-Jimmie Johnson and #20-Tony Stewart were called to the NASCAR trailer for rough driving in the closing laps. Stewart claimed Johnson "pinched" him into the #10 car of Scott Riggs while Johnson said Stewart ran him into the wall. When asked what was discussed with the sanctioning body, Stewart answered, "We were trading cooking secrets." Stewart, who finished seventh, had the dominant car, leading 107 laps. It was the second consecutive year he has led the most laps at the 500 and come away without a win. Johnson finished fifth.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(2-21-2005)

  • #48 to carries special sticker: Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Lowe's Chevy carried a decal that read, “In Memory of Cpl. Jonathan Bowling.” Bowling, 23, of Martinsville, Va., was one of four Marines killed last month during an ambush attack on a convoy in Iraq's Anbar Province. Bowling’s father, Darrell, a Virginia State Trooper, was one of the police officers who responded to the Oct. 24, 2004, crash of a Hendrick Motorsports airplane near Martinsville, that killed 10 people, including team owner Rick Hendrick’s son, Ricky, and brother, John. The elder Bowling responded to the scene of the crash at Bull Mountain, Va., and stayed with the bodies of the victims until they could be brought down from the mountain. Bowling also recovered a ring and a medallion from the crash and returned it to the Hendrick family. “During that time, the day that he was bringing us the ring, he got a phone call that his son was killed in Iraq,” Hendrick said of Bowling. “We were close to them because of what they did for our family, and in the effort of trying to bring something back to us, he found out his son had been killed. So we’re running the sticker to honor him.”(Speed Channel)(2-20-2005)

  • Harvick, Johnson meeting to clear air: After #29-Kevin Harvick exited the infield care center with an aching chest Thursday, #01-Joe Nemechek nearly hit him with a water bottle. It was a clear display of the anguish Harvick caused during the second of two 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500. Harvick bumped #48-Jimmie Johnson more than halfway through the 60-lap race, starting a seven-car wreck and stirring the emotions of several drivers and their crews. "It's frustrating because I know how much all these guys have put into this, and to have it taken out by someone like him, that's stupid,'' Nemechek said. Johnson, who trailed only three-time Daytona winner Dale Jarrett in pole qualifying last Sunday, was leading the race when he slowed in the second turn and got rear-ended by Harvick. The bump turned Johnson's car sideways and ignited a crash that took out Johnson, Harvick, Nemechek and fellow top contenders Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace. None of them was injured. But some of their cars were badly damaged. Harvick, Nemechek and Wallace were forced to switch to backup cars and will move to the back of the field for NASCAR's biggest race. "It's a shame. He just tore up six or seven good race cars,'' said Johnson, adding that team owner Richard Childress should fire Harvick and NASCAR should penalize him. "This is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.''
    Harvick and Johnson were summoned to the NASCAR trailer after tempers had cooled. Harvick acknowledged fault in the wreck, and NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter warned the drivers that future problems could result in fines or suspensions. "We told them that they need to either work it out for themselves or we'll work it out for them,'' Hunter said. "We just consider it a racing incident. If they get into it again, there could be some severe penalties, like missing a race.'' Hunter added that the drivers shook hands and agreed to meet by themselves Thursday night -- without crew chiefs, car owners or NASCAR officials -- to work through their differences, which began at Phoenix last year. "We want to make absolutely sure that at the start of a new season, there's no carry-over,'' Hunter said. Harvick apologized for his error, but that did little to soothe emotions in the garage area. "I just spun him out, and I feel sorry for the teams and everybody involved,'' Harvick said.(ESPN.com/AP)(2-18-2005)

  • More changes at Hendrick? UPDATE: hearing that Eddie Dickerson, Manager of Hendrick Motorsports Chassis Shop, which was responsible for building all of the Chassis, and hanging all of the bodies, has left the organization.(2-16-2005)
    UPDATE: Eddie Dickerson, the director of chassis engineering at Hendrick Motorsports, left the team. Team spokesman Jesse Essex said Dickerson's duties likely will be split among several team members, including Doug Duchardt, who who left his position as director of GM Racing two weeks ago to become Hendrick's vice president of development.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-17-2005)

  • Media Choses Johnson as the 2005 'favorite': If media voters prove accurate prognosticators, look for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship battle to mimic recent history. The defending NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series champion, #97-Kurt Busch, won the 2004 title by eight points over #48-Jimmie Johnson – the closest finish in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup history. And while both drivers remain title candidates, Johnson has been selected as the media favorite in the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10. A total of 213 votes were cast in the balloting, which began Feb. 3 and ended Feb. 13. Drivers received 10 points for first place, nine points for second place, eight points for third place, seven points for fourth place, six points for fifth place, five points for sixth place, four points for seventh place, three points for eighth place, two points for ninth place and one point for 10th place. Eight drivers in the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10 competed in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.
    Johnson received 1,765 points and 87 first-place votes. Trailing him by only 25 points in second is Hendrick Motorsports teammate #24-Jeff Gordon, who received 1,740 points and 65 first-place votes. Third place in the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10 belongs to #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., who received 1,355 points and 25 first-place votes. Only eight points separate #20-Tony Stewart and Busch for fourth and fifth place, respectively. Stewart received 1,030 points and seven first-place votes while Busch received 1,022 points and five first-place votes.
    As for the rest of the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10, sixth-place #12-Ryan Newman received 844 points and nine first-place votes. In seventh place is #9-Kasey Kahne, the defending Raybestos Rookie of the Year. Kahne, who received 707 points and one first-place vote, didn’t make the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, but he has been voted to the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10.
    In eighth place is 2003 series champion #17-Matt Kenseth. Kenseth received 657 points and no first-place votes. Behind Kenseth, in ninth place, is #42-Jamie McMurray , the second driver who didn’t make the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, but has been voted to the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10. McMurray received 546 points and two first-place votes. Tenth in the 2005 NASCAR Preseason Top 10 media voting is #6-Mark Martin, who’s beginning his final fulltime season. He received 453 points and four first-place votes.(NASCAR PR)(2-15-2005)

  • Johnson wins the Budweiser Shootout: #48-Johnson got a great pitstop by his creww and was the first car out that took 4 tires, #12-Newman took 2, and after 4 laps, Johnson and the pack caught Newman. Johnson held on to lead the final 16 laps and win his first Budweiser Shootout with Newman finishing 2nd, followed by #24-Gordon, #20-Stewart and #16-Biffle [who led 44 laps]. Pole sitter, #88-Jarrett led the first lap and fell off early and finished 15th. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to fall to the rear after making a transmission change [new rule this year] and in the first segment [20 laps] he car ran poorly. During the 10 minute break, the crew changed igintion boxes and spark plugs and Dale Jr. was able to finish 7th and was up into the top-5 for a bit.(2-12-2005)

  • Johnson voted oval racer of the year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the choice of RACER magazine readers as the overall Racer of the Year for 2004, but when it came to choosing the top oval driver for the season past, the Daytona 500 champ was eclipsed by Nextel Cup’s most successful driver of the season, Jimmie Johnson. The Hendrick Motorsports star, who led the Nextel Cup ranks with eight wins, bested IRL IndyCar champ Tony Kanaan in the voting, as tabulated via an online ballot here at SpeedTV.com. “Jimmie has always understood racing very well,” noted his crew chief, Chad Knaus, who offers his impressions of how his driver hit his stride so quickly in the feature article revealing all of this year’s Racers of the Year, in the March issue of RACER that goes on sale Feb. 22. In fact, RACER readers gave credit to Knaus, too, for Johnson’s outstanding season, by selecting him as the Crew Chief/Team Manager of the Year. Ferrari chief Jean Todt was a distant second in voting for this category. The Most Promising Oval Racer of the Year category was the biggest runaway of the nine categories, as Nextel Cup rookie Kasey Kahne gathered no less than 55 percent of the vote. No surprise to his boss, Ray Evernham: “How can you not be impressed with him,” asked Evernham, who compares his new phenom’s progress with that of his former charge, Jeff Gordon, elsewhere in the issue.(Speed Chanel)(2-11-2005)

  • Young Guns back: After a highly successful 2004 season, the Gillette Young Guns are kicking the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series into high gear with new sweepstakes and consumer promotions that will give fans and the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) the chance to win prizes ranging from $1,000 to $1 million. The Gillette Young Guns - #97-Kurt Busch, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #29-Kevin Harvick, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #17-Matt Kenseth and #12-Ryan Newman - dominated their inaugural 2004 season, winning over 50 percent of the 36 Cup races. Busch won the 2004 championship, followed by fellow Young Guns Johnson and Earnhardt Jr., who finished second and fifth in the final points standings, respectively. Newman and Kenseth finished in seventh and eighth place, respectively, and Harvick finished 14th overall for the season. Collectively the Young Guns won 22 of the 36 races in 2004, claimed 70 top-fives and 109 top-10 finishes along the way. Gillette will again leverage these drivers and its NASCAR sponsorship with a comprehensive marketing communications program on several levels throughout the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. The program includes consumer promotions and retail events, a national "Watch & Win" consumer sweepstakes, dedicated NASCAR print and broadcasting advertising, licensing, interactive on-line consumer promotions, charitable contributions and hospitality. Consumers can celebrate the beginning of the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season with the Gillette Young Guns $1 Million Watch & Win Sweepstakes. If the year end Chase for the NEXTEL Cup isn't exciting enough, consumers will have the opportunity to win big by following the Gillette Young Guns over six of the last seven races of the season. By correctly predicting the finishing order of the six Young Guns for each race, fans will automatically be entered into a points race of their own. One lucky fan that wins this unique points race will win a trip for two to the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami and the chance to win up to $1 million. Cnsumers also will be able to register online to predict the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun prior to each of this season's 36 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events. Each week, all correct entrants will be automatically entered in a drawing for a $5,000 prize. More info on my Racing Contests page or at www.gilletteyoungguns.com.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(2-11-2005)

  • Jimmie Johnson to run some races: Lowe's and Hendrick Motorsports announced that Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, will run select races in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2005. Johnson will bring his #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to the series with additional sponsorship from Kobalt, a line of tools and accessories available exclusively at Lowe's. Johnson is scheduled to run six races in the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Chevrolet with unique paint schemes that represent the breadth and depth of the enhanced Kobalt line. Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief in the Nextel Cup Series, will also lead the team in the Busch Series events. Johnson is scheduled to begin his limited Busch Series run at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, followed by runs at Chicagoland Speedway on July 9, California Speedway on September 3, Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, as well as both events at Lowe's Motor Speedway. For more information on Team Lowe's Racing, visit Lowesracing.com.(GMR Marketing PR)(2-10-2005)

  • Hendrick announces new VP's: Hendrick Motorsports general manager Marshall Carlson announced that competition director Ken Howes and longtime General Motors executive Doug Duchardt have been named vice presidents over the organization's racing operations. Transitioning from his role of competition director, Howes has been tabbed as vice president of competition. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native will oversee Hendrick's day-to-day competition-related activities, now encompassing teams, crew chiefs and pit-crew trainers, along with at-track logistics and execution.
    Duchardt, who most recently managed General Motors' North American motor sports initiatives as director of GM Racing, has been named Hendrick Motorsports' vice president of development, a position in which he will control race-car evolution through design, engineering and production in the chassis and engine areas.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-7-2005)

  • Tire Testing at Atlanta Jan 11-12th: A Goodyear Tire test is scheduled for January 11-12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 2004 Rookie of the Year #9-Kasey Kahne and #48-Jimmie Johnson will test the brand new Goodyear compound at NASCAR's fastest track next week as they prepare for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 weekend. The test session will be closed to both the media and the public. The test will be the first with the new Atlanta Goodyear tire, which is a different compound than any for any other speedway. Mark Keto, lead engineer for Goodyear's stock car tire development group, said the session will be used to gauge how well the new compound works with the 2005 NASCAR rule changes, such as the reduced spoiler height. NASCAR officials are expected to be on hand to analyze the results. Additional NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series teams are scheduled to test throughout February and March for the spring race weekend. For more information on the Golden Corral 500 weekend, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(1-9-2005)

    2004 News

  • Congrats: The wedding of Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson and model Chandra Lynn Janway was announced in Sunday's Charlotte Observer. The ceremony was Saturday at St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church in Gustavia on the island of St. Barthelemy in the French West Indes.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(12-14-2004)

  • Hendrick Awarded: Team owner Rick Hendrick is the latest winner of the Buddy Shuman Award: Buddy Shuman was a popular NASCAR driver in the early 1950s who died in a hotel fire in 1955. The award has been given annually since 1957, honoring someone from the NASCAR community for contributions to the sport. Hendrick, a popular figure in the garage area, lost his son, his brother, two nieces and two key team officials among the 10 persons who died in an Oct. 24 crash of a team plane on the way to a race in Virginia. Hendrick's team has won five Cup championships and fields cars in both the Cup and Busch Series.(Augusta Chronicle/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Dorton Honored: The late Randy Dorton, the chief engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, who was killed in an October plane crash, was honored as Clevite Engine Builder of the Year. The award was accepted by his widow, Diane Dorton.(ESPN/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Kovalainen wins ROC, Johnson and Mears lose early: Heikki Kovalainen of Finland beat world rally champion Sebastien Loeb of France to win the Race of Champions on Saturday. Kovalainen downed Loeb 2-0 in a best-of-three legs final at Stade de France after overcoming seven-time Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher in an elimination heat. The Race of Champions, a yearly event since 1988, featured 16 pilots from various motor racing disciplines, including NASCAR, Champ Car and Indy 500 specialists. The Stade de France, home of the French soccer and rugby teams, was covered by a .6-mile asphalt figure-eight track with a crossover bridge. Kovalainen, 23, selected a Peugeot 307 rally car to take on Loeb in his familiar Citroen Xsara. The Finn is the youngest driver to win the ROC trophy. Some 60,000 fans, hoping to see their countryman force a deciding leg, jeered the time penalty handed to Loeb. In the elimination rounds, competitors were split into two groups of eight -- called the Rally Group and the Racing Group. After quarterfinals and semifinals, the winner of each group met head-to-head for a place in the overall final to decide the Champion of Champions. One key driver who was slated to run in the event -- four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon -- didn't race because of a flu that also kept him from much of NASCAR's year-end celebrations in New York City this week. Casey Mears, who raced in Gordon's place, lost in a heat to Jean Alesi, who then fell to Kovalainen. The other American driver on hand, Jimmie Johnson, also lost early.(ESPN/AP)
    UPDATE: Casey Mears became the choice over Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne mostly because he had a passport and experience in this event last year (then in the Canary Islands). Johnson and Mears left Friday night after NASCAR's season-ending awards ceremony in New York, landing at 2 p.m. They changed clothes in the car and got five practice laps. Johnson struck a course barrier to draw a 10-second penalty in each of his two races; Mears split matches with Coulthard in the team events and lost to Alesi in the individual. Gordon's absence was felt more by the competitors than the fans. Schumacher said the opportunity to race the four-time NASCAR champion led him to race outside of F-1 for the first time in four years.(Indianapolis Star)(12-5-2004)

  • Another Johnson: SS Racing announced the signing of Jarit Johnson, the 25-year-old racer and younger brother of Nextel Cup star Jimmie Johnson. SS Racing has an alliance with NEXTEL Cup powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports and hopes that Jarit will soon join Hendrick's growing driver development program. The goal is to run Johnson fulltime in the ASA and part-time in the Craftsman Truck Series, however, if the ASA does not have clear direction during the month of December, they will be forced to move their attention 100% to Craftsman Truck Series. When he's not racing, Jarit will work fulltime for SS Racing assisting in it's growing Driver Development Program which includes Hendrick Motorsport's driver Chase Austin, splitting time at the Indianapolis home base with Deneau and satellite Charlotte shop with Miller.(SS Racing PR, nothing on their site)(12-5-2004)

  • Johnson Wins 4th Quarter Speed Channel DOTY Vote: Jimmie Johnson bounced back from a slow start in the fourth quarter to win four times in five races, and dominate the voting for the Speed Channel Driver of the Year, fourth quarter, 204. Johnson, who drives the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, finished runner-up to Kurt Busch, by only eight points, in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship. It was an emotional roller coaster for the 29 year-old driver, After an engine problem at the EA Sports 500 and an accident at the Banquet Foods 400 put him next to last in the Chase, he took three straight wins at UA-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's, then the Subway 500 at Martinsville, VA, and the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta. He also won the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington. Along the way he and his team faced the personal tragedy of losing ten team members, family and friends in an airplane crash on the Martinsville's race day. While feeling that loss, yet still being prepared to race and win, he proved the strength of his Hendrick Motorsports team. In New York for the annual NASCAR awards banquet Johnson, winner in the second quarter, was flattered to learn of his fourth quarter honor. In the voting he took 13 first-place Speed Channel Driver of the Year votes, and a vote on every ballot for a total of 143 points. Sebastien Bourdais, the Bridgestone Presents Champ Car World Series powered by Ford Champion, was second in the tally with 67 points and one first-place vote. The French born driver of the McDonalds Lola-Ford for Newman/Haas Racing, scored two wins including a victory from the pole at the season finale in Mexico City. Kurt Busch driver of #97 Sharpie/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford Taurus, and first Nextel Cup Champion, was third in the voting with one first-place vote and a total of 66 points. Busch had a win at the Sylvania 300, and except for one engine failure finished in the top ten in all ten races in the quarter. A total of 13 drivers scored points in the fourth quarter voting, including fourth place Tony Schumacher from the POWERade Top Fuel division, fifth place Steve Kinser, with two first-place votes in the World of Outlaws series. And Martin Truex, Jr. from the Busch Series was sixth.
    Noteworthy; Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the fan vote, and Johnson was second. Bourdais was third. More than 40,000 fans clicked their votes on the www.speedtv.com website. In it's 38th year, the Driver of the Year title is unique because it is the only award that encompasses all of the racing series in the United States and fan participation. A panel of 18 leading journalists from across the U.S. and a fan vote on Speedtv.com determine the winner. In quarterly voting, points are awarded on a declining 9,6,4,3,2,1 basis. Johnson will receive a trophy and a Maurice Lacroix wristwatch to be presented on Speed TV. A separate vote will determine the 2004 Driver of the Year shortly.(DOTY PR)(12-4-2004)

  • Odds for 2005: Nextel Cup odds have already been established for the 2005 season. Jimmie Johnson is a 9-2 favorite of one Internet site, with Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon second at 6-1. Kasey Kahne was the #5 favorite with the same odds as 2004 champion Kurt Busch -- 8-1 -- and lower odds than former series champions Stewart (10-1), Matt Kenseth (10-1), Bobby Labonte (30-1), Dale Jarrett (40-1) and Rusty Wallace (50-1).(Indianapolis Star)(11-26-2004)

  • Rick Hendrick at the track: mulit-team owner [#5,#24,#25,#48], Rick Hendrick, is at the track and made a statement today in the media center, thanking the racing community and fans for their support in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash. No questions were taken, to see Hendrick's comments in full, see my Hendrick Tragedy Page.(11-20-2004)
  • Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown: The event began with a moment of silence, but the roar of 600-horsepower engines soon filled the room as Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group employees gathered this week for the third annual Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. Sponsored by Dana Corp., the two-day contest teamed Hendrick Motorsports engine builders with Hendrick Automotive Group certified master technicians for head-to-head competition. Twelve pairs were clocked until their respective powerplant established a one-minute run after complete assembly, with the shortest elapsed time taking home first-place honors. Monday's qualifying round set the grid for Tuesday's finals, with the team of Jon Young and Mike Maiwald posting a build of 20 minutes, 52 seconds to tie the event record and earn the victory. Young is a Hendrick certified master tech from Gwinnett Place Honda in Atlanta, while Maiwald, of Hendrick Motorsports, is NASCAR's defending Engine Builder of the Year. For his efforts, Young was presented with an all-expenses-paid trip to the February 2005 events at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Runner-up Vince Bonfiglio, who teamed with Larry Zentmeyer, was also presented with a Daytona vacation package. Bonfiglio represented Hendrick BMW of Charlotte." This is a wonderful event that recognizes the > '> best of the best> '> in our industry," said Jim Perkins, Hendrick Automotive Group CEO. "It gives us the opportunity to bring the two companies together and acknowledge the contributions of our top-level staff." The brainchild of Rick Hendrick and the late Randy Dorton, the Showdown draws from more than 800 Automotive Group technicians, taking the 12 that are deemed most qualified by a one-of-a-kind Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam created specifically for Hendrick employees. Those 12 are then paired with Hendrick Motorsports engine builders. Hendrick is owner of NASCAR operation Hendrick Motorsports, and chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group, an organization comprised of 64 car dealerships across the United States, from the Carolinas to California. Dorton, recognized as one of the most gifted engine builders in NASCAR history, won nine championships during his two-decade tenure as head of Hendrick Motorsports' engine department before tragically losing his life Oct. 24. The Showdown was officially renamed in his honor shortly afterward. A silent moment of remembrance opened the competition at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum in Charlotte, and many of the participants wore red -- Dorton' s favorite color -- throughout the two-day experience.(HMS PR)(11-20-2004)

  • Johnson and team disappear after poor qualifying: The car cover was wrapped tightly around the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, its driver and crew long gone for the day. All around the garage, teams worked feverishly on their cars, but Jimmie Johnson was nowhere to be found. The absence of the Hendrick Motorsports team after qualifying Friday raised eyebrows everywhere at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Did they go home in disgust after qualifying 39th for Sunday's season finale -- Johnson's worst starting position of the year? Or were they playing mind games with the competition? No one was really sure. All that was certain was that it was unusual for Johnson to qualify so poorly. His effort was the worst of his career, surpassing two 37th-place starting spots last season. But even stranger was that noted perfectionist Chad Knaus, the crew chief, wasn't tearing the car apart trying to figure out what went wrong. "I heard him on the radio -- it didn't sound like he was disappointed in the lap," Jeff Gordon, Johnson's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, said. "It sounded like the speed wasn't there." Johnson heads into Sunday's season finale trailing series leader Kurt Busch by 18 points in the race for the Nextel Cup. Gordon is third in the standings, three points behind Johnson. Robbie Loomis, Gordon's crew chief and Knaus' partner in strategy, said it was way too early to count Johnson out. "They probably are as strong as anybody in this garage when they have their backs stacked up against the wall," Loomis said.(AP/CBS Sportsline)(11-19-2004)

  • Did ya know? The first and last Southern 500s were won by drivers from Southern California. Johnny Mantz won it in 1950 and Jimmie Johnson won it in 2004.(Gaston Gazette)(11-16-2004)

  • GM head of racing to Hendrick? General Motors' Doug Duchardt, head of the company's world-wide racing operations, is apparently being wooed by car owner Rick Hendrick to move to North Carolina to take a key position at Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick's racing operations were hard-hit by the plane crash three weeks ago that killed 10. Among those killed were John Hendrick, the company's president; Randy Dorton, the legendary engine builder and head of the company's engine department; and general manager Jeff Turner.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-13-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports update: Ken Howes, Hendrick Motorsports’ director of competition, played a major role in “talking the team through” the aftermath of the plane crash that killed seven employees of the team on Oct. 24. “He just took responsibility for taking us through that,” said Jimmie Johnson. A team spokesman, Patrick Perkins, said that Bobby Rice, a close business associate of Rick Hendrick, would oversee the operation for the time being while Hendrick recovers from the loss of his brother John, son Ricky and nieces Kymberly and Jennifer. Also lost in the crash were general manager Jeff Turner and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Jeff Gordon’s stepfather, John Bickford, will take on a more prominent role in the business side, and controller Scott Lampey will oversee financial operations. Jeff Andrews and Jim Wall will combine in directing the engine department.(Gaston Gazette)(10-30-2004)

  • Johnson wins at Martinsville: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway, his 6th win of the season, 12th of his career, 2nd in a row [he won at Charlotte last week] and first ever win at a short track [less then a mile in length]. #42-Jamie McMurray got by #12-Ryan Newman for second on the last corner, #40-Sterling Marlin was 4th and #97-Kurt Busch, the points leader, finished 5th. #43-Jeff Green finished 7th and ran strong all day, getting his first top-10 of 2004. Busch now has a 96 point lead over #24-Jeff Gordon who moved into 2nd. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had trouble all day and parked the car after a wreck, finishing 33rd and dropping to third. There was no victory celebration due to the fatal plane crash involving many of the Hendrick family [see above].
    For more on the race, cautions, lap leaders, narrative, etc., see my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page
    See race results at:
     Jayski's Martinsville Race Results page
    MotorsportsOne
    NASCAR.com.(10-24-2004)

  • First sweep at Charlotte since 1986: #48-Jimmie Johnson became the sixth driver to sweep a season’s races at Lowe's Motor Speedway and the first since 1986 when the late Dale Earnhardt won both. There otheres:
    1975, Richard Petty
    1974, David Pearson
    1971, Bobby Allison
    1965, Fred Lorenzen.(10-18-2004)

    .
  • Johnson wins at LMS; sweeps both Cup races: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, sweeping both 2004 Cup races, but not quite as dominatig as the Coca-Cola 600 when he led 334 of the 400 laps. #9-Kasey Kahne pretty much dominated the first 400 miles, leading 207 laps before a right front tire blew out, sending Kahne into the wall. While the win helped Johnson gain a few points, #97-Kurt Busch, who was involved in a lap one accident with minor damage, slowly worked his way thru the field and finshed 4th, maintaining a slim 24 points lead over #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [which could change pending Dale Jr's penalty appeal on Monday]. #24-Gordon, who was involved in two early wrecked, came back and finished 2nd with a beat up car, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., after starting 25th, finished 3rd, followed by Busch and last weeks winner, #01-Joe Nemechek. There were 11 caution flags for 53 laps and 18 lead changes among 9 drivers.
    For race results, see:
    Jayski's Charlotte Race Results/Awards page
    Jayski's Drivers/Owners Points Standings
    MotorsportsOne
    NASCAR.com.(10-16-2004)

  • Team 48 and Team 5 are "Racing for Relief": In response to Hurricanes Charley and Frances, Lowe's Monte Carlo drivers Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch are "Racing for Relief" at Richmond International Raceway this weekend to generate funds for disaster relief efforts. Last month, Johnson announced the implementation of an in-store customer donation program at Lowe's stores along the Gulf and East Coasts to assist the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Lowe's announced it will match donations up to $1 million. In addition, for every lap that Johnson completes in the 400-lap NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Richmond on Saturday night, Lowe's will donate $48 (Johnson's car number). For every lap that Busch completes Friday night in the 200-lap Busch Series race at Richmond, Lowe's will donate $50 [Busch finished 5th, ran all 250 laps, total is $12,500]. Racing for Relief is a program Lowe's first introduced in April of 2000. The program has helped disaster relief efforts for hurricanes, tornados and floods, raising more than $350,000 to date.
    In addition, Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevrolet will carry a special decal on the rear deck lid (trunk) and hood supporting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Anyone interested in donating to the fund may go to any Lowe's store along the Gulf or East Coasts or make an online donation at www.lowes.com or www.redcross.org.
    All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of the recent hurricanes and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.(9-11-2004)
    THANKS: $12,500 for Busch's 250 laps, and $16,224 for Johnson's 338 laps run.(9-12-2004)

  • DEI and Hendrick teams test at NHIS: Hendrick Motorsports teammates #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson tested at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS) on Wednesday, September 1 in preparation for the SYLVANIA 300 on Sunday, September 19. Both teams have clinched spots in the 2004 "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup". Martin Truex, Jr. tested on Tuesday, August 31 and Wednesday, September 1 in the #1 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Truex, Jr. will be attempting to qualify for the upcoming SYLVANIA 300 at NHIS. For ticket and race information, please visit the Speedway online at www.nhis.com or call Speedway Guest Services at (603) 783-4931.(NHIS PR)(9-4-2004)

  • Race of Champions to Announce 2004 Team USA UPDATE: The 2004 Race of Champions (ROC) Nations Cup - the motorsports equivalent of soccer's World Cup - will announce its two Team USA drivers [Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon] on Friday, Sept 3rd for the Dec. 4, 2004 race in Paris, France. This year's competitors include seven-time Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher and current World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb. Countries are represented by two-driver teams. At the ROC Nations Cup race, teams compete based on the number of heat wins and combined times (in the event of a draw). In every match, racers go head-to-head against their counterparts, resulting in extremely close action and finishes often separated by only fractions of a second. The team emerging from Saturday's final earns "the World's Fastest Nation" title.(Golin Harris PR)(9-3-2004)
    UPDATE: The 2004 Race of Champions (ROC) Nations Cup - the motorsports equivalent of soccer's World Cup - is set to draw the attention of fans from every major racing series in the world to Paris, France on December 4th, 2004 [the day after the Nextel Cup Banquet]. This year's competition marks the first year that the points leaders from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Formula One and the World Rally Championship will come together to battle for their country's right to claim they are "the World's Fastest Nation." Friday [Sept 3rd], at California Speedway, NEXTEL Cup points leader Jeff Gordon and second place driver Jimmie Johnson, running just 24 points behind Gordon, announced that they will lead Team USA's effort to reclaim the Nations Cup.
    Gordon and Johnson are intimately familiar with the challenge the ROC Nations Cup presents, having both been on the 2002 winning team that claimed the first Cup ever for the U.S. The ROC Nations Cup offers the ultimate test of a driver's skills, and is the only opportunity for racers from different countries and disciplines of motorsports to compete in equal machinery and on an equal track. Four-time NASCAR Champion Gordon and 10-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner Johnson are attempting to capture the United States' second Nations Cup title, but it will not be an easy task considering the stiff competition that includes seven-time Formula One Champ Michael Schumacher driving for Germany and current World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb behind the wheel for France.
    Immediately following this year's NASCAR banquet, Gordon and Johnson will board a plane provided by Learjet, Inc, a subsidiary of Bombardier, Inc. and travel to Paris, France for the competition. "We are very proud to be playing a role in these great athletes' effort to recapture the title they first won for the United States in 2002," said Dana Arnold of Learjet. At the ROC Nations Cup, teams are eliminated based on the number of heat wins and combined time (in the event of a draw). In every match, racers go head-to-head against their counterparts, resulting in extremely close action and finishes often separated by only fractions of a second. The team emerging from Saturday's final lays claim to "the World's Fastest Nation" title.
    For more information on the ROC - Nations Cup, please visit: www.raceofchampions.com.
    For ticket information to the 2004 Race of Champions, please visit: www.stadefrance.com.
    The 2004 Race of Champions - Nations Cup supports ICM (The institute for Brain and Spinal cord Disorders) and ADREC (The Association for the Development of Research on the Brain and Spinal cord Disorders) www.icm-institute.org.(Golin Harris PR)(9-4-2004)

  • Johnson to run a special tool scheme at California: #48-Jimmie Johnson will drive a special Tool World paint scheme this weekend at California Speedway. The new Tool World is a remodeled section of 500 bits, blades, and power tool accessories in over 700 Lowe's stores across America. The new Tool World is designed for speed and convenience so customers can get what they need fast. Tool World sports the largest selection of America's best tool brands like DeWalt, Hitachi, Bosch, Shop Vac, Irwin and many more. Johnson's car will feature Hitachi power tools and Black & Decker Firestorm power tools.(Lowe's Racing)(9-1-2004)

  • #100 for Johnson: #48-Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to start his 100th Nextel Cup race on Sunday at California Speedway.(Lowe's Racing)(9-1-2004)

  • Team 48 Is "Racing For Relief": In response to Hurricane Charley, #48 Lowe's Monte Carlo driver and American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet member Jimmie Johnson and his team are "Racing for Relief" to generate funds for disaster relief efforts. Last weekend, Johnson announced the implementation of an in-store customer donation program at Lowe's stores along the Gulf and East Coasts to assist the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Lowe's announced it will match donations up to $1 million. In addition, for every lap that Johnson completes in the 200-lap NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, Lowe's will donate $48 (Johnson's car number - 200 laps = $9600). Racing for Relief is a program Lowe's first introduced in April of 2000. The program has helped disaster relief efforts for hurricanes, tornados and floods, raising more than $350,000 to date. In addition, Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevrolet will carry a special decal on the rear deck lid (trunk) supporting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Anyone interested in making donations to the fund may go to any Lowe's store along the Gulf or East Coasts or make online donation at www.redcross.org. All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).(Golin Harris PR)(8-20-2004)

  • Knaus takes the vote: Internet voters selected Chad Knaus as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race after his driver, Jimmie Johnson, scored his fourth victory of the year in Hendrick Motorsports' #48 Chevrolet in Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. He moves into second place behind Tony Eury Sr., crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s #8 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the yearlong contest for a $10,000 prize.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(8-6-2004)

  • 'Bottle Gate' continues UPDATE Johnson fined $10k: NASCAR is expected to levy a fine as early as Tuesday, upwards of $15,000 to Nextel Cup driver Jimmie Johnson for placing a sign atop his #48 Lowe's Chevrolet and obscuring the view of a sponsor's product during Sunday's Victory Lane ceremonies at Pocono Raceway, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Following his win in Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 in Long Pond, Pa., Johnson exited his car and placed a Lowe's sign - Lowe's is the primary sponsor of Johnson's team - atop his car and in front of a large blue Powerade bottle. Powerade is an official sponsor of NASCAR. During the course of Victory Lane ceremonies, the Lowe's sign actually fell off the car, but was inexplicably picked up and replaced in its original position obscuring the Powerade bottle by NASCAR official Dave Finley, witnesses said. Hendrick Motorsports officials were notified Monday of a likely fine, sources said. Officials with Hendrick and NASCAR were unavailable for comment late Monday.
    Two weeks ago during a pre-race drivers meeting at New Hampshire, NASCAR president Mike Helton had told drivers "do not take it upon yourselves to remove products" placed on cars as they come in for victory celebrations. Johnson did not remove or move the Powerade bottle Sunday, witnesses said. Many of the recent issues have mostly been with a the large, blue Powerade bottle placed atop winning cars that some drivers have pushed or even knocked off their cars. The drivers who do so have affiliations with Gatorade or with Pepsi, which owns Gatorade. Powerade is a Coca-Cola product. "You can maneuver away from it or work around it," Helton said at New Hampshire. "If that doesn't begin happening again, we will be forced to deal with it."
    The fine for Johnson, the series points leader, would be the first for such issues this season. Johnson was asked about the Victory Lane incident Sunday night during his post-race winner's interview. Asked if he was told to touch or not touch any bottles in Victory Lane, Johnson replied, "No, I wasn't. I was a little more aware of camera angles to try to honor my sponsors and take care of them. I even took the liberty of putting a sign up in front of brand 'X'. It's weird that the driver - in Victory Lane - has to worry about defending and honoring your sponsor because of relationships that exist outside of your control. I hope we get this rectified and when you pull into Gatorade Victory Lane you're drinking Gatorade and that's all there is to it."(ThatsRacin.com)(8-3-2004)
    UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson was fined $10,000 for a post-race incident that occurred Sunday in Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway, NASCAR officials announced today. Johnson was fined for not following the directive of a NASCAR official as well as actions detrimental to stock car racing. He was in violation of Sections 12-2 and 12-4-A, respectively, of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book. “NASCAR President Mike Helton thoroughly explained the proper protocol for victory lane ceremonies in a drivers’ meeting two weeks ago at New Hampshire,” NASCAR spokesperson Jim Hunter said. “We’re going to address these situations in an orderly fashion, just as we always have. We expect our drivers to follow this protocol.”(NASCAR PR)(8-3-2004)

  • Johnson wins at Pocono, completes sweep: #48-Jimmie Johnson won Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway completing the sweep of both Cup races at Pocono in 2004. Johnson is the fifth driver ever to sweep both races at Pocono, the others:
    Bobby Labonte 1999
    Tim Richmond 1986
    Bill Elliott 1985
    Bobby Allison 1982
    It is Johnson's 4th win of 2004 and 10th of hs career [95 starts]. It is also Hendrick Motorsports 10th win at Pocono (Johnson-2; Gordon-3; T.Labonte-1; Richmond-3; G. Bodine-1). #6-Mark Martin held off rookie #9-Kasey Kahne for second to finish as a runner-up at this track, where he has never won a Cup race, for the sixth time in his career. #16-Greg Biffle was fourth [his 1st top-5 of 2004] with #24-Jeff Gordon fifth. Pole-winner #41-Casey Mears finished 18th after fading at the end. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., who said before the race he planned to go the distance this week, came to his pit on the 52nd lap and climbed out of the #8 Budwiser Chevy. John Andretti got into the car to finish the race while Earnhardt Jr. sat under a tent behind his team's pit stall, hanging his head.(see a good race narrative/race report at ThatsRacin.com)
    See my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for notes, caution info, lucky dogs, narratives, where the top 10 starters ended up and more.
    For race results, see:
    MotorsportsOne
    NASCAR.com.(8-1-2004)

  • Johnson 2nd Qtr Speed Channel Driver of the Year: Driving in championship form, Jimmie Johnson demolished the competition in voting for the Speed Channel Driver of the Year, second quarter, 2004. Johnson, who jumped to the top of the NASCAR Nextel Cup points standings after last week's DHL 400 in Michigan, had two victories including a win from the pole at in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and a win at the Pocono 500 in the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet. He had a virtually unblemished second quarter with only one finish out of the top-four. Despite his fine record, Johnson was surprised when he learned of his award. "I couldn't believe it when someone told, me," he said. "I'm completely honored to win this award." Perhaps it's a tradition for his team. The 28 year-old drives under the Hendricks Motorsports banner in a car owned by Jeff Gordon, a four-time Driver of the Year. "When you at look at the people who have won (it) before it's pretty amazing company," he explained. "They're some of the best racers in the world."
    In the voting he took 12 first-place Speed Channel Driver of the Year votes, and a vote on every ballot with none lower than third place. As a result, he scored 144 points. Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice finished in second with 91 points and three first-place votes. Rice also won the pole and led the most laps at the Brickyard in the Pioneer Argent/Mortgage Rahal-Letterman G Force/Honda. Martin Truex, Jr., a protégé of Dale Earnhardt Jr., was third with 52 points. Driving the Dale Earnhardt Inc. owned Ritz Crackers Chevrolet, Truex notched three wins and one runner-up finish and continues to lead the points in NASCAR's Busch series. A total of 18 drivers scored points in the second quarter voting, including fourth place Greg Anderson (with three first-place votes) from the PowerAde Pro Stock division, fifth place Sebastien Bourdais, points leader in the Champ Car series, and IRL's points leader Tony Kanaan was sixth.
    Noteworthy; Jeff Gordon won the fan vote, with Earnhardt Jr. second, and Johnson third. More than 40,000 fans clicked their votes on the www.speedtv.com website. In it's 38th year, the Driver of the Year title is unique because it is the only award that encompasses all of the racing series in the United States and fan participation. A panel of 18 leading journalists from across the U.S. and a fan vote on Speedtv.com determine the winner. In quarterly voting, points are awarded on a declining 9,6,4,3,2,1 basis. Johnson will receive a trophy and a Maurice Lacroix wristwatch to be presented on Speed TV.(DOTY/Speed Channel PR)(6-26-2004)

  • Off to F-1 for the day: Teammates #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers and #48-Jimmie Johnson and several Hendrick Motorsports team members hopped aboard a helicopter and then a private plane and headed for Indianapolis immediately after the final practice Saturday. They made the quick trip to Indy in time to watch qualifying for Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix and take a tour of the Formula One garages at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We're going to show these guys a little bit about what Formula One is like and how it works," said Gordon, who earlier this year caught an F1 race in Barcelona, Spain. Joining the drivers, who will start 1-2-3 in Sunday's race, were Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, Hendrick Motorsports competition manager Ken House and Brian Whitesell, team manager for Gordon and Johnson.(Michigan Live/AP)(6-19-2004)

  • Knaus wins Pocono WypAll Wipers Crew Chief of the race: #48 crew chief, Chad Knaus for driver Jimmie Johnson in the Hendrick Motorsports / Lowe's Chevy, won the Crew Chief Challenge Winner on June 13, 2004 at Pocono Raceway.(WypAll Wipers site)(6-17-2004)

  • Johnson back to the Busch Series..for a race at LMS...with SpongeBob: #48-Jimmie Johnson who will join Kyle Busch in driving special "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" paint schemes during the Oct 15th, Busch Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The race will mark Johnson's first appearance in the Busch Series since 2001. Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevrolet will sport the SpongeBob character while Busch's #5 Lowe's Chevrolet will be outfitted with SpongeBob's starfish buddy Patrick. See more in the Track Section below.(Lowe's PR), see some images of the car on the 2004 Busch Paint Schemes page.(6-1-2004)

  • Johnson wins Coca-Cola 600...again: #48-Jimmie Johnson scored his 2nd stright Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in dominatining fashion, leading 334 of 400 laps [Johnson missed tying the record for the most laps led by 1, Jim Paschal holds the record of 335 done on May 28, 1967. It is Johnson's 2nd win of 2004 and eighth of his 87 race career. Johnson is the first driver in 2004 to win from the pole. It is Johnson's sixth straight top-10 finish.
    The rest of the top five were: #15-Waltrip [$5 off Domino's Pizza all day Monday], #17-Kenseth, #42-McMurray and #38-Sadler.
    Of note: #38-Sadler ran the whole race with the flu...and finished 5th, rookie #25-Brian Vickers suffered Stomach Cramps the 2nd half of the race but soldiered home to a 15th place finish. The race was red flagged for 5:27 for oil on the track, leading to a three lap shootout, which ended a 1/2 lap early when #9-Kahne bottomed out and tapped #18-Labonte who smacked the wall.
    And see a column at ThatsRacin.com.

    Race results can be found at:
    ThatsRacin.com
    Motorsports One
    NASCAR.com.(5-30-2004)

  • New Book about Hendrick: UMI Publications, in conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports, is pleased to announce a new book celebrating 20 years of NASCAR competition by one of the most outstanding organizations in motorsports history. What began as a chance meeting between a semi-retired crew chief and a successful businessman with a passion for racing ultimately grew into a motorsports empire that garnered well over 100 victories and nine NASCAR championships in just its first 20 years of competition. "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" documents the history of Rick Hendrick's racing organization from its inception, in 1983, and recounts each racing season leading up to and including Hendrick Motorsports' historic milestone, its 20th season, in 2003.
    Perhaps no other racing organization has accumulated such a record of success in such a short period of time, and "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" tells the whole story of how these achievements were accomplished. Quite simply, this is a story that needed to be told, and UMI Publications is honored to bring it to the public eye with award-winning writing and outstanding photos, many of which have never before been published.
    "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" is available directly from the publisher for $34.95 plus shipping & handling, and may by ordered by contacting UMI Publications, Inc., at 1-800-747-9287 or by visiting their website at www.umipub.com. Book excerpts may be viewed at www.ThatsRacin.com.(5-20-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Fan Festival - May 26-28: As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Hendrick Motorsports will host a fan festival at its Charlotte-based headquarters May 26-28 prior to the May 30 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Free and open to the public, the festival was designed as a way to thank fans for their support of the team since its 1984 inception. Scheduled to run 8:30am until 6:00pm each day, the event will include interactive games, show cars, sponsor displays, product sampling and autograph sessions from past and present Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Townsend's Gourmet will sell food throughout the festival, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Hendrick Marrow Program. The 15,000-square-foot Hendrick Motorsports Museum will offer festival-goers a free-of-charge glimpse into HMS history, including championship trophies; three of Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevrolets; Tim Richmond's #25 Chevy; the very first #5 "All-Star Racing" car; and the "Days of Thunder" Lumina driven by Tom Cruise. The facility has recently been updated with new trophies, cars and other memorabilia. Lowe's Motor Speedway will provide free festival parking, which can be accessed at "Lot Z" off Speedway Boulevard in Concord. Trams will be available to transport fans from the parking area to the festival grounds. For additional information, including directions and schedule updates, fans may visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com or call 877-467-4890 toll free.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-28-2004)

  • #48 News? New Tire Changer: hearing the #48 Lowe's Chevy team is looking for a new tire changer for Jimmie Johnson, not sure if anyone got let go or which tire changer position.(4-27-2004)
    UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson has a new rear tire changer starting this week, Shane Parsnow.(4-28-2004)
    UPDATE 2: been told Parsnow is just a temp and the team is looking for a full-time changer.(4-29-2004)

  • Johnson's brother starts racing career: One of the younger brothers of #48-Jimmie Johnson has started his own racing career, competing in the Dodge Weekly Racing Series at Hickory Motor Speedway. Jarit Johnson, 25, competed in a Spec Truck division in El Canjun, Calif., before moving to Mooresville, NC. Jarit maintains his Limited Late Model entry in a two-car garage that has been converted to a part-time race shop. When he's not racing, Jarit works in the NASCAR Busch Series shop of driver Michael Waltrip. "Right now, we're just going out there to get some experience and learn," said Jarit. "This is my first year in the Limited Late Model class. I'm just going to go out there, try to finish in the top five in points and hopefully win some races." So far, Jarit is off to a fast start. He earned his first race victory April 17 and is ranked in the top 10 in the Hickory track standings.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-24-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports 20th Anniversary 2004 Schemes: Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports goes to Lowe's Motors Speedway with special paint schemes on the Chevy's for the race in October 2004. #25-Brian Vickers, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, and #5-Terry Labonte of the HMS team will be racing together to commemorate the first twenty years of Hendrick Motorsports. These cars will be based on their primary paint schemes, but the colors will be replaced with a "silver on silver" paint palatte, giving them a platinum or chrome effect. Each car will have the Hendrick Motorsports commemorative 20th Anniversary logo.(4-23-2004)

  • Rick Hendrick gives CPCC $1 million: Rick Hendrick [#5, #24 and #48 Cup team owner], chairman of the national car sales company Hendrick Automotive Group, has donated $1 million to Central Piedmont Community College to build a center that will train mechanics in the latest automotive technology. CPCC will start construction on the Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology, on the Levine Campus in Matthews, by fall. It should be completed by December 2005. The $4 million, 25,000-square- foot building will be named for Rick Hendrick's father, who has been involved in auto racing for more than 40 years. The other $3 million will come from bonds, donations and other sources, according to the college. Joseph "Papa Joe" Hendrick Jr., 83, co-owns Hendrick's #5 Busch and #25 NEXTEL series teams with grandson Ricky Hendrick. He is in a Charlotte hospital with an undisclosed illness.(Charlotte Observer)(4-22-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports signs prospects: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today announced the signing of drivers Blake Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff, who will each compete under the Hendrick banner in 2004 thanks to a pair of developmental alliances that were also unveiled. Feese and Reid will each start a minimum of three ARCA Series events this season in the #5 Chevrolets of Bobby Gerhart Racing (BGR). The six-race schedule will serve as a driver-technology development project for Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engines and chassis to the Gerhart team, headquartered in Lebanon, Pa. In addition to the alliance with Gerhart, Hendrick Motorsports has inked an agreement with Indianapolis-based SS Racing that will allow Krisiloff to compete in 13 American Speed Association (ASA) events in 2004. In only his second career start on the ARCA circuit, Feese won at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on April 9, leading 29 of 113 laps in the #5 BGR Chevrolet powered by a Hendrick engine. Although unannounced at the time, the race was part of the Hendrick-BGR developmental program. In addition to his ARCA victory at Nashville, the Saybrook, Ill., native is scheduled to compete on the circuit at Kentucky Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway, both in the month of May. Driving the #5 BGR Chevrolets, Boston Reid will enter ARCA events at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May, Kansas Speedway in June and Kentucky Speedway in July. Krisiloff, 18, will race full-time in ASA competition with SS Racing beginning on May 29 at Lake Erie (Pa.) Speedway. Driving the #06 Chevrolets, he will be a teammate of three-time ASA champion Butch Miller.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)
    Cup team owner Rick Hendrick will be interviewed via telephone this evening on Speed Channel's Wind Tunnel (10pm/et), discussing today's HMS announcement that Hendrick has signed drivers Blake Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff.(4-21-2004)

  • Johnson on MTV: There will be a distinct NASCAR flavor present as MTV's Total Request Live High School Week kicks off Monday. Nextel Cup driver Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to roar into Mansfield, Tex., in his #48 Lowe's Chevrolet to pick up high school student Travis Whitlock. Johnson takes him on the ride of his life and even outfits his room in the latest Jimmie/Lowe's merchandise. The Team Lowe's segment is scheduled to air Friday at 5:00pm/et (check your local listings). Other celebrities scheduled to take part in MTV's TRL High School Week include Matthew Perry, Bruce Willis, Usher and Hugh Jackman.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-7-2004)

  • #48 Shocks? NASCAR officials will lay out all the shock parts from Jimmie Johnson's winning Darlington car today, which should end all speculation about that part of the post-race inspection. Crew chief Chad Knaus said the car passed with no problems.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-27-2004)

  • Levi's Signs Jimmie Johnson: Levi Strauss says it has signed a sponsorship deal to make its Signature line the exclusive apparel sponsor for Nextel Cup driver Jimmie Johnson. The deal includes both retail and at-track programs. The brand says it has also agreed to a category-exclusive deal with NASCAR that will include usage of the NASCAR trademarks and opportunities to partner on special marketing programs. Financial terms were not announced.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-23-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Website Re-launched: Hendrick Motorsports today unveiled its new-look Internet presence, www.HendrickMotorsports.com, with a fresh design and unique features found nowhere else on the Web. The latest version of the site, which received more than 1 million visits in 2003, marks the second re-design since HendrickMotorsports.com was initially launched in 1998.(HMS PR)(2-10-2004)

  • Johnson's streak at 69: Jimmie Johnson extended the longest current streak for consecutive weeks in the NASCAR Top 10 to 69 weeks with his 2nd place finish in last season’s championship race. It is the 9th longest streak in the modern era (1972-present). Should Johnson remain in the NASCAR Top 10 the entire 2004 season, he will pass Richard Petty and take sole possession of sixth place on the all-time list. An interesting note is that the season-opening race put a halt to all but two of the streaks, the exception being Dale Earnhardt’s record streak of 174 weeks and Sterling Marlin’s 11th-ranked run (66 weeks).(Team Lowe’s Racing PR)(2-9-2004)

  • #48 Johnson Power of Pride Once again Lowe’s will be celebrating patriotism when they roll out the #48 Power of Pride at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May with driver Jimmie Johnson.(1-20-2004)

  • Johnson OK: Jimmie Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevy was just the second car on the track Thursday morning, spun in Turn 3 and hit the wall, doing extensive damage to the front end of the car. Johnson was unhurt. The car, however, was expected to be Johnson's entry for the Feb. 15 Daytona 500 and had been his fastest during this week's test. "Maybe the track's just wet, especially in the shadows," Johnson said. "We run the top all the way around here the first two laps basically and maybe it was still wet up there. Without a doubt there was something on the track." #41-Casey Mears was the first car on the track, starting just before 9 a.m. Eastern. He also experienced problems in Turn 3. "I went through there the first time and thought there was something on the track, but it could have been possible it was my car," Mears said. "The second time I went through the turn, I took it easy and it was OK. Then, Jimmie went in there and went into the wall." Johnson said losing car will likely mean his team will not chance participating in Thursday afternoon's scheduled drafting practice. They don't want to risk damaging both cars.(ThatsRacin.com)(1-15-2004)

  • Congrats: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevy got engaged recently to girlfriend Chandra Janway.(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio - Subscription Required)(1-6-2004)

    2003 News

  • Cup drivers in the Daytona 24? Chevrolet is trying to have a big presence in the Rolex Sports Car Series’ Daytona 24 hour early next year. Daytona Prototypes are under construction at Crawford Race Cars in Denver, North Carolina, all powered by GM’s Gen III V8 engines, which GM hopes will be piloted by its Winston Cup stars. Chevrolet is looking at various driver combinations and it’s unclear how many cars will run. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart are strong candidates, and Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon could figure in the mix. Regular GM road racers Kelly Collins and Andy Pilgrim are on deck as well. GM sources say there is no truth to rumors that another car is slated for Bobby, Terry and Justin Labonte.(Autoweek)(11-26-2003)

  • NASCAR Press Conference UPDATE Gillette Young Guns: NASCAR will be announcing a sponsorship deal involving six of NASCAR's top ten drivers this Friday, Nov. 14 at 12:45pm/et from Victory Lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway. On hand will be 2003 champ Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.(11-12-2003)
    UPDATE: hear it is something with Gillette.(11-13-2003)
    UPDATE 2: Gillette Co. is expected to unveil a $10 million-plus sponsorship deal today with NASCAR and six of its most prominent young and aggressive drivers. The Hub razor maker is gunning for a huge and growing group of auto racing fans with a sweeping deal to be unveiled in Miami. As an official NASCAR partner, Gillette and its Duracell and Oral-B brands will gain exclusivity in the shaving, battery and oral care categories, industry sources say. Gillette also will sponsor six young drivers including #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #29-Kevin Harvick and this year's Winston Cup Champion, #17-Matt Kenseth. The six - to be dubbed Gillette Young Guns - will anchor promotional programs designed to drive sales. Gillette is expected to spend more than $10 million on the effort overall. The deal is comparable only to Coca-Cola Co. (KO: chart, news)'s sponsorship of 13 drivers under its Coca-Cola Family of Racers campaign.(Boston Herald)(11-14-2003)
    UPDATE 3: Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman have been called "young guns" for some time. Next year, they'll get paid for it. In a deal worth a reported $20 million a year, Gillette has signed a multiyear agreement for those Cup drivers to endorse Gillette razors, Duracell batteries and Oral-B toothbrushes. The deal also includes "official" sponsor status for Gillette. The agreement also includes a weekly contest for fans, who can register online at www.gilletteyoungguns.com, to predict the highest finisher among those six in each 2004 race. All correct entrants will be entered in a drawing for a $5,000 prize. If those six drivers finish in the top six in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May or the Ford 400 at Homestead, and a consumer correctly picks the order of their finish, the prize would be $5 million. Gillette will also donate at least $1,000 per week to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition as part of the program. None of the money in the deal goes any of the race teams involved. The agreements are with NASCAR and the individual drivers.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-16-2003)

  • Johnson's Donation: #48-Jimmie Johnson promised to donate $48 dollars - the amount of his car number - for every lap he completed Sunday to the American Red Cross' Disaster Relief Fund. He completed all 312 laps so he will cut a check for $15,076 to help the wildfire victims near his Southern California home.(Augusta Chronicle)(11-3-2003)

  • Johnson Helping Out: Jimmie Johnson will donate $48 - he drives the #48 Chevrolet - for every lap he completes Sunday in the NASCAR Winston Cup Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The money will be ticketed to help those families affected by the wildfires in Southern California. Johnson grew up in the city of El Cajon, near one of the fires burning in San Diego County. In addition, Lowe's, the sponsor on his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, will donate $100,000 to the American Red Cross.(Orange County Register)(10-29-2003)

  • Hendrick Named NCMA Vice Chairman: Richard Petty, chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA), announced today that Rick Hendrick has been named vice chairman of the NCMA board of directors. "It is an honor to accept the position of vice chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association," Hendrick said. "I look forward to working with Richard and the board of directors in promoting and growing our sport statewide. The NCMA has served as the unifying voice for the racing industry in North Carolina for more than a year, and I'm proud to be a part of that continuing effort." Hendrick succeeds Keystone Marketing Co. Inc. president Roger Bear as the NCMA vice chairman. Bear will continue to serve the organization as an active board member. "Many thanks to Roger for his efforts and support in getting this great organization off the ground," said Ed McLean, NCMA executive director. The North Carolina Motorsports Association is a nonprofit corporation designed and structured to be an effective representative and proponent of and for the motor sports industry in North Carolina. The NCMA is a trade association of businesses and individuals involved in motor racing in North Carolina. Further information on the NCMA can be accessed via the organization's Web site, located at www.ncmotorsportsassociation.org.(North Carolina Motorsports Association PR)(9-25-2003)

  • Johnson Will Race at Dover to Support the American Red Cross UPDATE: In response to Hurricane Isabel, Lowe's and NASCAR Winston Cup driver Jimmie Johnson are Racing for Relief to generate funds for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Lowe's will donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross at the beginning of this weekend's Dover 400, and for every lap that Johnson completes, Lowe's will donate an additional $48 (Johnson's car number). If Jimmie wins the race, Lowe's will round the donation up to a total of $100,000. Lowe's first introduced Racing for Relief in April of 2000. To date, the program has helped disaster relief efforts for hurricanes, tornados and floods raising more than $156,000. "Racing for Relief allows me the opportunity to pitch in and lend a hand, while I do what I do best - driving," said Johnson, driver of Lowe's Team 48 car and member of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. "I'm glad I can do my part to support the American Red Cross and the people affected by hurricane Isabel."
    Racing for Relief programs will include the following:
    · September 21 Dover 400 Race
    · Customer Donation Program at all Lowe's stores
    · Online contributions for the American Red Cross will be accepted at Lowes.com and Lowesracing.com
    Lowe's supports the American Red Cross as part of its commitment to help people prepare for and recover from natural disasters. Lowe's serves as an official American Red Cross cash donation site and responds to disasters by contributing to local and national Red Cross disaster relief funds, donating vital emergency products and supplying volunteers for local cleanup efforts.(Golin/Harris PR)(9-20-2003)
    UPDATE: Lowe's total is $50,000 + $19,200 ($48 x 400 laps) = $69,200.(9-22-2003)

  • Been asked, so here it is: Question - I understand Chad Knaus' concern for his crew members, but shouldn't Jimmie Johnson have gotten a penalty when Chad went over the wall with no helmet and for having too many men over the wall? I'm glad no one was seriously injured.
    Answer Larry McReynolds: With all the rules in NASCAR being black and white or red and green, yeah, there's no question that Chad Knaus probably did look at the right front fender when he went over there. But, trust me, I know Chad, and I would have been the same way. He went over there to see if any of his crew members were laying on the ground. He didn't do any work. If he had pulled on the fender, rubbed on the grill or did anything, then I would say certainly that a penalty should have been assessed. But he didn't do that. He went to check on his fellow crew members.
    Answer Jeff Hammond: In hindsight, it would have given them too many men over the wall. I was only privileged to see a couple different angles of it, but I didn't see Chad Knaus do anything to the race car. If he was going out there to pick up somebody off the ground, check them out or see if his guys were OK, common sense prevails, and it's OK. Granted, the helmet wasn't on Knaus' head, but this was a unique circumstance. He didn't have the helmet, but he did, at least, have the fire suit. If he went over and did something to the race car and really participated in the pit stop, then I would say NASCAR blew a call. But from the different angles that I saw, all I could see was a concerned crew chief running over to see if everybody was OK. Everybody was getting up, moving and getting going again so he got back out of the way. A NASCAR official was there, but probably at about that time, he was too busy trying to think about what happened because he was trying to get out of the way. There were a lot of things going on, and the official probably just missed the call. But it was a common sense situation, and Knaus didn't do anything.(FoxSports)(9-16-2003)

  • Johnson wins at New Hampshire: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire. It is Johnson's third win of 2003 and 6th of his career. Johnson is the first driver to sweep both season races at New Hampshire. #21-Ricky Rudd finished 2nd, his 2nd top five in a row. #25-Joe Nemechek ended up third, followed by #9-Elliott and #8-Earnhardt Jr., who was running down a cylinder. Points leader, #17-Matt Kenseth finished 7th, and lost a few points to Dale Jr., but still leads the points standings by 404 points with 9 races to go. A scary moment early in the race while coming in to pit during the 1st caution, #24-Gordon mis-calculated and hit #15-Waltrip while they were going to their pit stalls, Waltrip had to go around #48-Johnson, Gordon, who is pitting right in front of Waltrip didn't realize that and tried to go inside Waltrip, hitting two of Johnson's pit crew members. TNT is reporting both are ok but one crew member Cory Quick went to the infield care center, has a bruised shin. Gordon had to wait for the rest of the cars to come in, back up and proceed to his pit. Waltrip's crew was able to fully complete their stop and go on. The crew was back to full strength for the next stop. See my Sylvania 300 Race Info page for my race run down, includes top 10, cautions and narrative, notes, cars off track.
    Race Re-air: NOTE: Speed Channel changed their lineup starting in August - so there is now a one-hour recap [called Fast Forward] of the race, scheduled this week for:
    Wednesday, September 17th at 7:00pm/et and again on September 18th at 1:00am/et;
    a full three-hour race show will re-air at 12:00pm/et on Thursday, September 18th.
    Race Results at JAYSKI's New Hamsphire/Sylvania 300 Race Results.(9-14-2003)

  • Special decal for Hendrick cars: The teams of Hendrick Motorsports [#5, #24, #25, #48] will carry very special artwork during this weekend's events at Bristol in support of one-year-old Cole Jackson of Waxhaw, N.C. The "C-post" decals will feature "Get Well Soon" wishes to the youngster, who suffers from bilary atresia, a rare liver disease that affects one in 15,000 babies and requires a liver transplant. Hendrick Motorsports president John Hendrick met the Jackson family at a charity golf tournament earlier this year and will lend his support at a silent auction at Firethorne Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Aug. 24. For more information, visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com or www.TheJacksonFour.com.(HMS PR)(8-22-2003)

  • Drivers willing to pay for safety crews: #48-Jimmie Johnson said that drivers are willing to spend their own money to provide a full-time traveling safety team that NASCAR executives have steadfastly refused to pay for. 'I guarantee you that is something every driver would like to see happen,' Johnson said of canning the dangerous yellow-flag racing rule. 'And if it was required of the drivers to help in the funding of that safety team, I think the drivers would all participate. I'd like to see us put something in place like the CART series has, with a traveling group of (safety) people that all the drivers know and all the team members know, that are trained professionals and know our race cars inside and out and can respond immediately and be there on time. I know Alex Zanardi, and I know people that work with him. If that crew of people that CART has was not there and didn't start working on him immediately and rode on the helicopter with him to the hospital, Alex wouldn't be here today." Safety has resurfaced as an issue among NASCAR drivers, particularly the slow response time of emergency teams - in part because of NASCAR's rule about racing back to the caution flag - and the difficulty in getting out of a wrecked car. Racing back to the yellow, Johnson said, is part of the problem. 'That's a big part of it,' Johnson said. 'The last thing we want to do is put an ambulance or truck full of safety workers in harm's way because we race back to the caution. On a road course I think you could probably roll a little easier in come cases. But on an oval you've got cars coming at 200 mph. You've got to wait until everybody is contained by the pace car." NASCAR has a new emergency roof hatch that is expected to be approved later this summer. But some drivers are wary about installing it.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-14-2003)

  • Vickers may debut in Cup later this year: Car owner [#'s 5,24,25,48,60] Rick Hendrick said he plans to put Brian Vickers in a Cup car this season, most likely in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hendrick said Vickers has tested a Cup car in Kentucky during an engine test.(Roanoke Times)(8-4-2003)

  • In NYC? Lookout for Johnson: Jimmie Johnson is becoming more accustomed to his new celebrity world, and he's added an interesting defense mechanism - an apartment in New York City, where he can be anonymous again. 'I'm lucky when I can get up there,' he said. 'I was there last week, but for the first time in three months. It's something more for winter, to enjoy New York, to try something different. It is colder than I want, but it's a nice getaway. People laugh at me when I say I go to New York to get away -- but when you're walking the streets of New York they're looking for movie stars, not race-car drivers. So it's a lot more relaxed.'(WSJ)(7-27-2003)

  • Lowe's team member injured: during the early stages of Happy Hour practice, #41-Casey Mears swerved to avoid another car in the garage area and ran over the right foot of #48 Team Lowe's mechanic/windshield cleaner, Ryan Dubois. Dubois was put on a stretcher and taken to the infield care center at Poco# Dubois was joking with Speed Channel's Marty Snyder saying 'it hurt bad'.(7-26-2003)
    Have not heard updates on Dubois.(7-27-2003)

  • Johnson signs with an agency: Wilhelmina Artist Management has signed Jimmie Johnson, driver of Hendrick Motorsports' #48 Chevrolet in the Winston Cup Series, to its growing list of athletes, today's SportsBusiness Daily reports. WAM spokesperson Danielle Rausch told The Daily that the company will meet with Johnson next week to determine specifics of a marketing plan. Other athletes represented by WAM include the NFL's Eddie George, NBA players Stephon Marbury and Matt Harpring and PGA Tour player Matt Kuchar.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(7-18-2003)

  • #48 Looking.... Ryan Pepe, the rear tire changer for the #48 Lowe's Chevy driven by Jimmie Johnson, tore an ACL and is likely out for the year. The team will be looking for a replacement. Get well Ryan. AND any tire changers with Winston Cup experience looking.... Please contact the folks at www.racecityresumes.com they are currently receiving many inquires from CUP Teams looking for experienced tire changers. Also see other job sites on my Racing Schoools/Jobs page.(7-8-2003)

  • Hendrick Third at Daytona: Car owner Rick Hendrick, who fields Chevy for #5-Terry Labonte, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #25-Joe Nemechek [plus this week, #60-David Green], is third all-time with seven Winston Cup victories at Daytona. He trails only the Wood Brothers (12) and Petty Enterprises (11). Gordon (four), Geoffrey Bodine, Tim Richmond and Darrell Waltrip all have driven Hendrick cars to first-place finishes here, including four Daytona 500s.(Gaston Gazette)(7-5-2003)

  • NASCAR visiting NASA: #88-Dale Jarrett, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #12-Ryan Newman on Wednesday have been invited to take a special NASA tour at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL. The group, which also will include Newman's crew chief Matt Borland and Penske Racing South Vice President Don Miller, is scheduled to visit various facilities and sites at the Space Center including the Space Station Processing Facility, Shuttle Pad A, NASA Crawler vehicle, Orbiter Processing Facility and Astronaut Memorial. One of the highlights of the visit will be at the Orbiter Processing Facility. The drivers are scheduled to get the rare opportunity to actually sit in a shuttle cockpit behind the controls.(NASCAR PR)(7-2-2003)

  • Johnson Helps Build a House: This past Monday, Team Lowe's driver Jimmie Johnson joined former President of the United States Jimmy Carter to kick off the 2003 Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) in Anniston, Ala., one of three sites on which the JCWP plans to build nearly 100 Habitat homes this week. "Being able to put on my tool belt and help build these homes was an uplifting experience," said Johnson, an accomplished do-it yourselfer. "My association with Lowe's has allowed me to do some amazing things and meet some amazing people over the past couple of years. To be able to help build homes for families that need assistance and to be able to do this along side a former President of the United States was a rare treat." In support of the JCWP, Lowe's has joined forces with Whirlpool and The Valspar Corporation to provide Habitat for Humanity with the products necessary to build and furnish the homes being built this week.(Golin Harris PR)(6-12-2003)

  • Square Pants for Johnson UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to run a Sponge Bob Square Pants paint scheme at Daytona in July for the Pepsi 400.(3-20-2003)
    UPDATE: Lowe's announced on Tuesday that Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants is swimming onto the NASCAR scene and taking over the #48 Lowe's Chevy paint scheme for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway later this summer. Team Lowe's will run the special SpongeBob paint scheme over the Fourth of July weekend to promote American Tradition Signature Colors Design Centers located in Lowe's stores nationwide. Lowe's and The Valspar Corporation have joined forces to deliver a breakthrough paint formulation in distinctive palettes with colors inspired by children's favorite Nickelodeon programs as well as five other popular American brands. In addition to the SpongeBob SquarePants palette, the Nickelodeon collection will feature five other color families inspired by favorite children's programs, including Blues Clues, Oswald, Dora the Explorer, Rugrats and Jimmy Neutron. These exciting and familiar bright colors are especially designed for children's bedrooms and playrooms, as are the coordinated kits of themed sponges and appliqués.(Golin Harris PR), see an image on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(6-11-2003)

  • Johnson and Carter help out: #48-Jimmie Johnson will travel to Anniston, Ala., on Monday to join former President Jimmy Carter in working on a Habitat for Humanity project. Johnson's sponsor, Lowe's, is donating materials to three Habitat projects this summer.(ThatsRacin.com)(6-9-2003)

  • Jimmie Johnson To Be Honored At Stewart-Marchman Dinner: The Stewart-Marchman Foundation will honor NASCAR Winston Cup star Jimmie Johnson during its annual Daytona Club gala at the Daytona International Speedway on July 2. Johnson has demonstrated his concern for others both as a friend and mentor to young race drivers. He has also volunteered for the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet and teamed up with Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse to help support our troops by raising money for Operation United Service Organizations (USO) Care Packages. Money raised through donations at local Lowe's stores will be sent to the USO and used to create care packages that troops will receive around the world. Joining Johnson at the gala will be former NASCAR driver and broadcast personality Bennie Parsons who will emcee the event. Title Sponsor for the fund-raiser is The Johnson Group, Inc.--one of Central Florida's most prominent builder/developers. Tickets and sponsorships for the event may still be purchased from the Stewart-Marchman Foundation, Inc.(PR), for more info, see my Racing Charity Page.(5-31-2003)

  • The Coca-Cola 600 has been called - Jimmie Johnson has been declared the winner: after 276 of 400 laps, the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway was called due to a wet track and threatening weather in the Concord, NC area. #48-Jimmie Johnson is the winner of the race, winning his first race of 2003 and 4th of his career, the win puts him into the 2004 The Winston (or whatever it will be called, if they have it). Johnson is the fifth ever to win both the Winston and the Coca-Cola 600. Johnson is also the 7th driver to ever win from a provisional starting spot (see the list of all the previous winners from 35th or worse on my Stats Menu and Links page), his OFFICIAL starting spot was 37th, even though he had to fall to 42nd before the drop of the green flag, #31-Robby Gordon started 43rd. It was Johnson's first win since Spet 2002, 19 races ago. #17-Matt Kenseth ended up 2nd and increases his points lead to 160 over #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr, who had brake problems and finished 41st. It is only the third time the Coca-Cola 600 had been shotened due to rain. See my Coca-Cola 600 Race Info Page for my race rundown as it happened, lap leaders, DNF's, cautions and many notes.
    Race Results at Jayski - Coca Cola 600 Results and Driver/Owners Points after Charlotte, also at:
    ThatsRacin.com
    NASCAR.com - official
    MotorsportsOne(5-25-2003)

  • #48 Crew Chief fined: NASCAR officials announced today that Chad Knaus, crew chief for the #48 Lowe's Chevy, has been fined $2,500 for rule violations on May 23 before qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway (held May 25). The #48, driven by Jimmie Johnson, was in violation of Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup rule book (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (unapproved use of refrigerant near the fuel system).(NASCAR.com)(5-27-2003)

  • Lowe's extends with Johnson/Hendrick: Lowe's, primary sponsor of the #48 Chevy, announced today it signed a five-year contract extension with car co-owners Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. Hendrick Motorsports also extended the contracts of driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, keeping what is already regarded as one of the best driver/crew chief combinations together for at least another five years. "Jimmie's on-track performance over the past year has helped Lowe's become one of the most recognizable sponsors in NASCAR," said Dale Pond, Lowe's senior executive vice president of merchandising/marketing. "The team's performance, dedication and determination exemplify the team spirit Lowe's employees feel as they work together to serve our customers every day." In addition to sponsoring the #48 Lowe's Chevy, the company also has naming rights to Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Last season, Johnson's on-track success translated into Team Lowe's Racing becoming one of NASCAR's largest fan clubs. Lowe's also ranked second in sponsorship exposure value compared to all other major NASCAR sponsors. Based in Wilkesboro, N.C., the 57-year old company is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.(Golin Harris PR)(5-26-2003)

  • Hendrick To Team With U.S.S. Nimitz At LMS Cup Entries Provide 'Friendly Competition' For Squadrons: Hendrick Motorsports will join forces with the U.S. Navy this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where all four of the team's NASCAR Winston Cup Series entries will display decals from fighter squadrons of the U.S.S. Nimitz (CVN 68 - more info at their site), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Throughout the week leading up to Sunday's 600-mile event, each Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will display the Nimitz logo on the driver's side "C-post," along with the logos of two individual squadrons on the car's opposite side. The eight units were able pick which entry would carry their artwork, adding some "friendly competition" between squadrons.
    The decals, also known as "zappers," will be distributed as follows:
    #5 Kellogg's / got milk? Chevrolet and driver Terry Labonte: VFA-41 "The Black Aces" (based in Lemoore, Calif.) and VFA-14 "Tophatters" (Lemoore).
    #24 DuPont Chevrolet and driver Jeff Gordon: VFA-97 "Warhawks" (Lemoore) and VFA-94 "Mighty Shrikes" (Lemoore).
    #25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet and driver Joe Nemechek: VAQ-135 "Black Ravens" (Whidbey Island, Wash.) and VAW-117 "Wallbangers" (Point Mugu, Calif.).
    #48 Lowe's Chevrolet and driver Jimmie Johnson: VS-29 "Dragonfires" (San Diego) and HS-6 "Indians" (San Diego).
     Each squadron employs up to 250 people and carries between four and 14 aircraft, including the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye 2000, S-3B Viking, and SH-60B Seahawk. On Aug. 5, 2002, six Hendrick Motorsports employees spent a day on the Nimitz as part of the Navy's Distinguished Visitors Program, an initiative designed to increase public awareness and appreciation for the Navy. Named after Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, the ship was commissioned on May 3, 1975 in Newport News, Va., and is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in her class. More than 18 stories high from keel to mast, the Nimitz was deployed to the Arabian Gulf from its home base in San Diego on March 3.(HMS PR)(5-21-2003)

  • Two Crew Chiefs Fined: NASCAR fined two Winston Cup crew chiefs from actions at The Winston. #40 crew chief, Lee McCall was fined $10,000 for an improper weight attached on the #40 Coors Light Dodge. #48 crew chief, Chad Knaus was fined $1,000 for an unapproved air directional device.(Fox Sports Net - Totally NASCAR)(5-20-2003)

  • Humpy Picks Johnson: H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, today predicted #48-Jimmie Johnson will win Saturday night's 19th running of The Winston and claim the $1 million first-place prize. Wheeler, known for his promotional flare and Karnac-type ability, has correctly picked the winner of NASCAR's all-star event eight times in the past 14 years. "I'm going to ruffle some feathers on this," said Wheeler. "These picks are not pulled out of some black hat. During the recent test session, I watched guys run into the corners and studied where they got back on the throttle. Most any idiot can run down a straightaway! But this is a real tough track and past winners of The Winston know how to get into the turns with a bunch of guys breathin' hot radiators down their back," Wheeler explained. "There are guys that can get in and out of the turns fast by themselves and are good qualifiers but don't do so hot when the big-toothed dogs are bitin' at 'em." Johnson and his Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse team had an impressive test at the 1.5-mile superspeedway two weeks ago, posting the second-fastest speed during the two-night session. In addition, the young California native was impressive in last May's events, including The Winston. "All of that is why I'm picking Jimmie Johnson to win this year," Wheeler said. "He runs very strong here and was one of the fastest in testing. I liked the way he dug into the turns. He looked like Jeff Gordon-running deep and keeping it smooth." Though not really a dark horse, Wheeler said #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is his "Wildcard" pick if Johnson doesn't get the job done. For The Winston Open, the final transfer spot into The Winston, Wheeler predicts veteran #99-Jeff Burton will win and move into the big show.(LMS PR)(5-13-2003)

  • Governor loses control of race car, wrecks at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Not Injured: North Carolina Governor Mike Easley, who was turning practice laps in a Winston Cup car at Lowe's Motor Speedway Friday morning, lost control of the car while exiting Turn 2 and wrecked on the backstretch. Easley was not injured, speedways officials confirmed. The accident occurred about 11:45am.et and Easley's car - a #48 Chevy from Hendrick Motorsports - was the only car on the track at the time. Easley was wearing the HANS device, one of two head-and-neck restraint systems mandated by NASCAR in October 2001. After the wreck, Easley stood by the car joking with his staff and track officials and even autographed the crumpled car before it was towed away. Easley drove two laps behind the pace cars for two parade laps before last October's Winston Cup race at Charlotte. He'd planned to run three laps in honor of the late Dale Earnhardt, but a rain delay and damp track conditions spoiled those plans. Easley was at the track Friday to practice in preparation of reprising that role during May race activities at the speedway.(ThatsRacin.com)
    AND A close call this morning for North Carolina Governor Mike Easley at Lowes Motor Speedway. Driving an old Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowes Chevy The Governor lost the handle coming out of turn 2 then crashed.along the backstretch wall while practicing for a pre-race event for The Winston All-Star race next weekend. Easley, who was clocked at just over 165 miles per hour when the accident occured was not injured. After autographing pieces of the wrecked car he continued his pace laps in an old Terry Labonte #5 Kelloggs Monte Carlo.(PRN's Garage Pass)(5-9-2003)

  • New Car Chief for the #48: Team Lowe's Racing and Hendrick Motorsports announced today it has promoted Ron Malec to car chief of the #48 Lowe's Chevy effective immediately. Malec, 28, has been with Hendrick Motorsports and Team Lowe's for the past two seasons as a team mechanic and rear tire carrier on race day. He replaces Jason Burdett, who recently left the team to pursue other racing interests [#88 Car Chief]. "Ron has been a vital part of Team Lowe's," explained crew chief Chad Knaus. "Since last season, we've been looking for a way to get his talents more involved with the team. Ron brings a lot of experience to the position, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to take on more responsibility. We're confident Team Lowe's won't miss a beat." The Franklin, Wis., native has a long history working with Team Lowe's driver Jimmie Johnson, dating back to Johnson's off-road racing days in 1996. Johnson and Malec have been teammates since 1998, when Johnson first drove for Herzog Motorsports in the ASA series. Additionally, they two worked together for two seasons in the NASCAR Busch Series with Herzog Motorsports before the joining Hendrick Motorsports and Team Lowe's Racing in 2002. "I've been with Ron for as long as I've driven stockcars," said Johnson. "He has tremendous motorsports knowledge and someone I've really come to respect. He brings so much to the team and leads by example through his hard work and dedication. We're lucky to have him on Team Lowe's, and he's ready for this challenge." Malec fueled his passion for motorsports by racing go-karts when he was 10-years-old. After putting his racing days behind him in 1996, which included several years racing late-models, Malec began working on late-models for several Wisconsin-based teams beginning. In 1999, he was named crew chief for a Rick Johnson-owned race team, a team that earned rookie-of-the-year honors that year under Malec'sleadership.(Golin Harris PR)(5-8-2003)

  • #600 for Hendrick: When the teams of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series take the green flag at Richmond on Saturday, it will mark the 600th race started in the storied 19-year history of Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick teams have brought home 110 wins in 599 Winston Cup events [18.7%]. The four Winston Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports [#5, #24, #25, #48] will display a special "600th Start" decal at Richmond. The artwork will take the place of the HMS logo on the "B-post" of each car.(HMS PR)(5-1-2003)

  • Johnson to be inducted: Jimmie Johnson will be enshrined in California Speedway’s Walk of Fame at 10:00am/pt on Friday April, 25th. The ceremony, which will take place at Gate 12, is open to the public.(California Speedway PR)(4-18-2003)

  • Johnson to throw out first pitch at Phillies game: #48-Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to throw out the 'first pitch' tomorrow night at the Philadelphia Phillies (Jayski's team) / Atlanta Braves to coincide with his Winner Circle appearance in Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 9th.(4-9-2003)

  • How did Johnson end up ahead of Wallace? been asked this quite a bit today, after #48-Jimmie Johnson got together with #23-Kenny Wallace towards the end of the race, Johnson spun and lost the lead draft and Wallace continued on, BUT Wallace ran out of fuel a few hundred feet after the incident with Johnson and finished 17th, Johnson finished 15th.(Speed Channel's Inside Winston Cup - Kenny Wallace, also the #77 crew chief, Bootie Barker is the hot seat guest this week)(4-7-2003)

  • Power of Pride campaign launched: The sponsor of Jimmie Johnson's #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, Lowe's, created the Power of Pride initiative in the fall of 2001 as a way to pay tribute to the armed forces, police and fire departments following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. On Thursday in Washington, Johnson, Lowe's officials and the United Service Organization (USO) unveiled the latest installment of the campaign - allowing individuals to send personal messages and care packages to members of the military overseas. The packages contain an assortment of items the personnel have requested, such as prepaid international calling cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, and sunscreen. In honor of the nearly 300 Lowe's employees serving in the National Guard and reserves, Lowe's launched its newest Power of Pride campaign a $100,000 contribution to the USO. Effectively immediately, donations to the program will be accepted at Lowe's stores nationwide and SMI races. Additionally, Lowe's will tour a giant "Thank You" banner to the military. Military supporters will be invited to write personal messages and signatures on the banner at sporting events and Lowe's stores throughout the spring. During the Memorial Day weekend, Lowe's will present a Power of Pride pre-race show at the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, which will include a military exhibition, a country music concert and a check presentation to the USO. Also, Johnson will run a special Power of Pride paint scheme during the race and at The Winston all-star race on May 17. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, Lowe's, its employees and customers raised more than $6 million, which included Johnson running a Power of Pride paint scheme in selected races in 2001 and last season.(ThatsRacin.com), also see other ways you can supports our troops on my new look Racing Charites page and see real images of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(3-28-2003)

  • Hendrick Teams To Carry Patriotic Decal: In support of American soldiers at home and abroad, the NASCAR teams of Hendrick Motorsports will display patriotic artwork on the "C-post" of their Chevrolet Monte Carlo race cars beginning with this week's events at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. "During these turbulent times, it's especially important that we show support for the men and women of the United States military," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "This is a small gesture to show that our thoughts and prayers are centered around these brave individuals and their families." In the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the decals will be carried on the #5 Kellogg's / got milk? Chevy of Terry Labonte, the #24 DuPont Chevy of Jeff Gordon, the #25 UAW-Delphi Chevy of Joe Nemechek and the #48 Lowe's Chevy of Jimmie Johnson. The #5 GMAC Financial Services Chevy of Busch Series driver Brian Vickers will also display the design, which depicts a yellow ribbon wrapped around the American flag.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-20-2003)

  • Marlin says wreck wasn't intentional: #40-Sterling Marlin denied intentionally hitting #48-Jimmie Johnson on the final lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, while Johnson dismissed rumors Tuesday of a later confrontation between the two at a casi# The drivers were in the only side-by-side battle headed to the finish line in Sunday's race. Fighting for eighth place coming out of Turn 4, Marlin's Dodge wiggled just a touch, enough to bang into the left side of Johnson's Chevrolet. The contact sent Johnson spinning through the grass and to an 11th-place finish, the final car on the lead lap, drawing questions over Marlin's intent.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(3-5-2003)

  • Hendrick sends backups home: The unliklihood of any Winston Cup practice on Saturday prompted Hendrick Motorsports to send two of its teams' backup cars back to Charlotte. The backup cars the teams of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson taken to Rockingham this week are the primary cars both teams expect to use next weekend at Las Vegas. Bad weather canceled Saturday's final Cup practices, so Hendrick team officials decided to load up Gordon and Johnson's backup cars and take them back to team headquarters for final preparations for next weekend's race.(ThatsRacin.com)(2-22-2003)

  • Johnson on Nick: Lamott Ebron, a freshman at Simon Gratz High, will get to share his dream of becoming a NASCAR driver with a national television audience tonight. Ebron will be featured along with Winston Cup star Jimmie Johnson in A Walk in Your Shoes, an educational series that depicts two people from completely different backgrounds adapting to each other's environment. Tonight's episode will be televised simultaneously on Nickelodeon and as part of the teen block "The N" on Noggin - Nickelodeon's sister cable network - at 8:30. A repeat is scheduled for 7:30 tomorrow [Monday]night on Noggin. During the show, Ebron, a 14-year-old from North Philadelphia, takes viewers behind the scenes of October's Winston Cup race weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Along with a ride in the pace car and encounters with star drivers Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett and Kevin Harvick, Ebron experiences the rush of the stock cars zooming past at more than 170 m.p.h. from his perch on pit road. To Ebron, the life of a top-notch racer appears pretty simple. "All you have to do is drive in a circle and let your pit crew take care of the rest," he said. Ebron is one of 75 students who attend the Philadelphia-based Urban Youth Racing School, an inner-city program that provides youths - ages 8 through 18 - an opportunity to race go-karts and learn about career opportunities in motor sports and the automotive industry.(Philadelphia Inqurier)(2-16-2003)

    2002 News

  • #48 scheme at Lowe's UPDATE 2: hearing the #48 Lowe's car will run a special scheme at Lowe's in May, not sure what kind of scheme or for what.(12-11-2002)
    UPDATE: hearing it will be a Power of Pride Blue with silver stars.(12-18-2002)
    UPDATE 2: being told it will run in May at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(1-31-2003)

  • New Crew Members for the #48: Look for major changes on the #48 Lowes Chevy team this season. Crew chief Chad Knaus, who was a part of two championships as a tire changer for Jeff Gordon, wanted a more athletic pit crew after several miscues cost driver Jimmie Johnson and his team valuable positions on the track last year. Cory Quick and Ryan McCray, who formerly were with Jack Sprague's BGN team, will pair up as the front tire changer and carrier. Ryan Pepe, who changed rear tires for the #36 [now #01] car last year, will take that position with the #48.(Sporting News)(1-6-2003)

  • #48 scheme at Lowe's UPDATE: hearing the #48 Lowe's car will run a special scheme at Lowe's in May, not sure what kind of scheme or for what.(12-11-2002)
    UPDATE: hearing it will be a Power of Pride Blue with silver stars.(12-18-2002)

  • Chad Knaus and Jimmy Fennig Win 2002 IRWIN Crew Chief of the Year Honors: Solid efforts and yearlong consistency both on the track and in the pits were the formulas for success that crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Jimmy Fennig used to win this year's IRWIN "Crew Chief of the Year" honors. For winning the honor, IRWIN, makers of professional power tool accessories like MARATHON saw blades and SPEEDBOR flat bits, will donate $5,000 to the Ellerbe, N.C. Educational Fund in their names. See rundown and more on my Pit Crew page.(Golin/Harris International PR)(12-4-2002)

  • World Cup of Motorsports UPDATE 2 Team USA wins: U.S. Joins Eight Countries for World Cup of Motorsports the 2002 Michelin Race of Champions Nations Cup. Team USA was among the first to announce involvement in this year's Michelin Race of Champions Nations Cup, the annual contest that puts the world's fastest rally, motorcycle and circuit racers against one another in fierce head-to-head competition. Representing the U.S. is four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon, Winston Cup rookie sensation Jimmie Johnson and World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards. This year's ROC Nations Cup promises to be the most hotly contested in the event's four year history, as the Americans take on the fastest drivers and riders from France, UK, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Brazil and Italy. Many recently-crowned champions are among the international cast, including this year's World Rally champ Marcus Gronholm (Finland), CART's Cristiano da Matta (Brazil), Formula 3000's Sebastien Bourdais (France), 250cc MotoGP Champion Marco Melandri (It), European Rally victor Renato Travaglia (Itay), European Touring Cars champion Fabrizio Giovanardi (Italy), World Enduro's Kari Tiainen (Finland), 125cc Motocross champ Mickael Maschio (France) and Speedway GP winner Tony Rickardsson (Sweden). Rounding out the rosters will be Formula One stars Fernando Alonso (Spain) and Nick Heidfeld (Germany), CART driver and former Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack (Sweden) as well as MotoGP riders Carlos Checa (Spain) and Alex Barros (Brazil).
    Supported by Michelin since the inaugural event in Paris in 1988, The Race of Champions was conceived, and remained for the first eleven years, a rally-only event that invited drivers to race head-to-head, side-by-side in exactly the same cars and on a figure-eight parallel-track. The premise was simple: using identical equipment and circuit, drivers could prove themselves based on their talent alone. In 1999, event promoters, seeing the potential for a World Cup of racing, introduced The ROC Nations Cup as a means of expanding that unique concept to other disciplines of motorsport and to allow racers to compete for their flags. In this event, three-man national teams, each comprising the country's best rally (or off-road), motorcycle and circuit racers' face off against one another in a series of 1-lap heats, quarter-finals and semi-finals leading up to the climactic final (this year, Saturday November 30th). The ROC Nations Cup is now a highlight of The Michelin Race of Champions weekend (November 29th - December 1st), which is hosted by the Circuito Ciudad Deportiva rally circuit in Gran Canaria and is largely responsible for the recent explosive growth in media coverage of this weekend of racing: the event is now televised in more than 187 countries. The nine countries in this year's ROC Nations Cup will be divided into three groups: each country will compete against all others in its group, with rally, circuit and motorcycle racers competing against their counterparts.(Golin Harris PR), no word on if any of the race will be televised.(11-28-2002)
    UPDATE: Sweden's Kenny Brack collected the honours in today's ROC America challenge beating NASCAR ace, Jeff Gordon, in an exhilarating two-lap Final. The inaugural ROC America pitted US based open-wheeled stars, Kenny Brack and Cristiano da Matta against tin-top racers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Racing in the unfamiliar hardware of the Michelin Race of Champions unique ROC Cars, the CART star powered past Gordon in a time of 1:56.45 - the fastest lap of the competition. The four-time NASCAR Champion had initially blitzed his way into the lead only to crash heavily into the barrier in the closing stages. He said: "The first lap was my best of the day, but I really messed up at the end. Even so, it was great fun." On his way to the Final, Brack notched up convincing victories over 2002 CART Champion, da Matta and Gordon. The eagerly awaited contest between Gordon and NASCAR rookie sensation, Jimmie Johnson, saw the former take the flag a mere sixteen hundredths of a second ahead of his protégé. Gordon quipped afterwards: "I'm gonna be proud of that moment for a very long time."(ROC Site) see more and pictures at the Jeff Gordon site.(11-29-2002)
    UPDATE 2: USA clinched the fourth Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup in Gran Canaria today. Colin Edwards, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson triumphed in dramatic fashion over the Italian bike, racing and rally trio of Marco Melandri, Fabrizio Giovanardi and Renato Travaglia by three heats to two. An ecstatic Jimmie Johnson said afterwards: "Admittedly, this is a big surprise but it feels great. We came here wanting to win, and to have some fun, and we had both. It's a truly awesome feeling." Four time NASCAR Champion, Jeff Gordon paid tribute to the dominance of Colin Edwards in the Honda Blackbird powered ROC Cars - the 2002 Superbike World Champion won every race: "He was the key player for us. Having been here a couple of years ago, he had the experience that helped make a difference. He was just so smooth." Edwards may have controlled both his heats, and Gordon may have scored a memorable victory over 2002 European Touring Car Champion, Giovanardi, but Johnson's six tenths of a second loss to Travaglia was the most exhilarating contest. On their way to the Final, the USA eliminated previous winners France (2000) in the Semis and Spain (2001) in the Opening Group Stages.
    The story of the day: Group Stages:
    After rolling his Peugeot 206 WRC in practice on Friday, Marcus Gronholm led Finland to victory in Group A over fellow Scandinavian's Sweden and the UK.
    Italy emerged triumphant from Group B wining 5 Heats to 3 over second placed France, with F1 driver, Nick Heidfeld scoring the only success for Germany.
    Group B was also the scene of the closest race in Nations' Cup history, where Frenchman Sebastian Loeb beat former double World Rally Champion, Walter Rohrl by just six ten thousandths of a second.
    Group C witnessed some of the most entertaining clashes with USA's Gordon spectacularly crossing lanes in his unsuccessful pursuit of Brazil's, Cristiano da Matta.
    Although Spain completed a white wash over Brazil to finish joint top with 4 Heat wins, the American triumvirate recorded the fastest collective time to book their place in the Semis.
    Much to the disappointment of the home crowd, 2001 Nations Cup winners, Spain, failed to clinch the last Semi-Final berth, which is allotted to the fastest runner-up. Group B's France registered a time of 5mins 47.11secs - over three seconds quicker than Spain.(ROC Site) and see more and some images at the Jeff Gordon site.(11-30-2002)

  • Hendrick Engine Problems: on ESPN2's RPM2Night (gonna miss that show in 2003) Hendrick Engine Builder, Randy Dorton was interview by Mike Massaro, the part that caused the engine failures in all 6 engines (#'s 5,10,24,25,36,48) at Talladega was a valve retainer clip that broke/failed.(10-10-2002)

  • IRWIN Rough to Finish Award #48 Team: The #48 Lowe's racing team's performance had its ups and downs in Sunday's Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway. But thanks to a great pit strategy and some excellent driving, the Lowe's team left Kansas as the leader in the NASCAR Winston Cup championship standings, helping to earn team crew chief Chad Knaus this week's IRWIN "Rough to the Finish" award. The Lowe's team ran the majority of the first half of Sunday' s race in the top-five, until driver Jimmie Johnson radioed in to Knaus on lap 170 that he felt the right rear tire was going down. Johnson was forced to pit under green to change the tire, causing team Lowe's to go down one lap. Following the pit stop, Johnson returned to his top-five form, turning fast lap times while making up valuable time on the leaders. Johnson finally was able to gain his lap back, but fuel mileage soon became an issue, forcing the team to pit with just 33 laps to go. Despite the turn of events, Johnson was able to salvage his 18th top-10 finish of the season and take an 11-point lead in the championship race. "For us to finish in the top-10 after having a flat tire is a great accomplishment for this whole team," said Knaus. "It shows what teamwork and determination can do. Everybody in the pits is working hard each week; this award is a credit to their efforts week in and week out."
    Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, Irwin, makers of professional power tool accessories like Marathon Plus saw blades and Speedbor flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The IRWIN Rough to the Finish Award includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund in the racing team's name.. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund.. Race fans wanting to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by sending it to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund, PO Box 443, Ellerbe, NC 28338. In addition to the crew chief award, Irwin is also sponsoring the weekly nationally syndicated radio show, "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons", throughout the upcoming year.(Golin Harris PR)(10-3-2002)

  • First back to back for Hendrick in....6 years: Jeff Gordon's win at Kansas marked the first time since 1996 that two different drivers have won back-to-back races for Hendrick Motorsports when Gordon and Terry Labonte scored victories at North Wilkesboro [in the track's last race] and Charlotte [Lowe's Motor Speedway].(Gordonline)(9-30-2002)

  • NAPCM Pit Crew Of The Week #48: Awesome pit stops all day (13.54, 13.42, 13.51) helped take the #48 Lowe's team from a 19th place starting position to Victory Lane. Congratulations #48 Lowe's Crew on earning the title of this week's NAPCM "Pit Crew Of The Week", sponsored by Toxabsorb (www.toxabsorb.com), "21st Century Spill Magnet" and the "Official Spill Response Agent of the National Association Of Pit Crew Members". Check out the latest Mechanix Wear "Pit Crew Of The Year" standings and NAPCM member info available ONLY at the National Association Of Pit Crew Members website (www.napcm.com).(9-26-2002)

  • Knaus Fined by NASCAR: NASCAR officials have fined NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chief Chad Knaus $5,000 for his use of inappropriate language during a televised interview after Sunday's races at Dover. Knaus, crew chief of the #48 Lowe's Chevy, was penalized under Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: "Actions detrimental to stock car racing: use of improper language."(NASCAR PR)(9-23-2002)

  • Rookies: #48-Jimmie Johnson tied Tony Stewart's rookie record for most wins by a Winston Cup Rookie of the Year candidate with his win at Dover, his third win of 2002. With last weeks win at NHIS, #12-Ryan Newman broke the rookie record of top fives, with his 13th, the old record was 12, also by Stewart in 1999. The top ten record is also held by Stewart at 21, Johnson and Newman both have 17, as did Dale Earnhardt in 1979. Some comparisions (all were Rookie of the Year except Earnhardt Jr):
    1979 Dale Earnhardt 27 races, 1 win, 11 top 5's, 17 top 10's, 4 poles, final points postion was 7th
    1987 Davey Allison 22 (of 29) races, 2 wins, 9 top 5's, 16 top 10's, 5 poles, points pos 21st
    1999 Tony Stewart 34 races, 3 wins, 12 top 5's, 21 top 10's, 2 poles, 4th in points
    2000 Matt Kenseth 34 races, 1 win, 4 top 5's, 11 top 10's, no poles, 14th in points
    2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr 34 races, 2 wins, 3 top 5's, 5 top 10's, 2 poles, 16th in points
    2001 Kevin Harvick 35 (of 36) races, 2 wins, 6 top 5's, 16 top 10's, no poles, 9th in points
    2002 Jimmie Johnson 28 (of 36) races, 3 wins, 6 top 5's, 17 top 10's, 4 poles, 2nd in points(so far)
    2002 Ryan Newman 28 (of 26) races, 1 win, 13 top 5's, 17 top 10's, 3 poles, 7th in pointd(so far)(9-23-2002)

  • Johnson wins at Dover: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the MBNA All-American Heroes 400 at Dover and sweeps both Cup races at Dover in 2002. It is Johnson's third win of 2002 and ties him with Tony Stewart [1999] for the most ever wins by a Rookie in a season. #6-Mark Martin finished 2nd and increases his points lead to 30, with Johnson taking over 2nd in the points. All 4 Roush Racing drivers finished in the top 7. See my MBNA All-American Heroes 400 Race Info page for race rundown, cautions, laps led, etc.
    Race Results: at ThatsRacin.com and NASCAR.com.(9-21-2002)

  • Gordon and Johnson to race in Spain: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and multiple X-Games champion, Travis Pastrana will represent the United States of America in the Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 in Gran Canaria (off the coast of Spain). The United States team will do battle against some of the best drivers in the world including the drivers from F-1, World Rally Cars and Motor bikes. The Michelin Race of Champions is an action-packed, sun-drenched weekend of head-to-head dueling between the kings of world motorsports. Now in its fourth year, the Nations' Cup has quickly become the star attraction of the weekend. The contest sees each participating nation enter a team of three, comprising one rally/off-road driver, one circuit racer and one bike rider. The teams will compete in world rally cars on a parallel track that is 30 percent pavement and 70 percent dirt. "Personally, I can't wait for the competition," explained Johnson. "Jeff is going to be our asphalt driver and Travis is going to be our bike rider, so that leaves me racing against the off road guys. It will be very challenging competing against top drivers like Markus Gronholm and other dirt specialists in the competition. I grew up off road racing and have raced in the Baja 1000 and in the stadium truck series in the mid-1990's, so I'm confident that I'll be able to hold my own and compete against the best in the world." For more information on the Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup please visit the web site at www.raceofchampions.com.(Golin/Harris International PR)(9-19-2002)

  • Nice Gesture: Rookie of the year frontrunner #48-Jimmy Johnson has been running a small decal in memory of Blaise Alexander all season. Johnson and the Montoursville native who died in an ARCA crash last season at Charlotte were close friends when they raced together on the BGN circuit. This weekend at Pocono, Johnson's car will feature a larger sticker near the rear tires that reads, "In Loving Memory of Blaise Alexander." "I'm very close to his family and some of his friends went to his parents and said, 'Let's do something for the Pocono race,'" Johnson said. "This is the last place he won, and this being his hometown area, it just made sense to do it here."(Citizens Voice)(7-27-2002)

  • NASCAR announces penalties - Johnson loses 25 points: NASCAR officials levied fines Wednesday against seven Cup crew chiefs and one BGN crew chief for infractions discovered during this past weekend's races at Daytona. Chad Knaus, crew chief of the #48 Chevy, was fined $25,000 and his team was also penalized 25 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship driver points as well as 25 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship owner points. Knaus' NASCAR Winston Cup team was penalized under Section 12-4-A of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: "Actions detrimental to stock car racing: offset mounting bolts for the front of the truck trailing arms." Other NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chiefs fined for various infractions following this past weekend included: Scott Eggleston, crew chief of the #33 Chevy and Jimmy Elledge, crew chief of the #55 Chevy were fined $500 and penalized in accordance to Section 20-2-E: "Underpans will not be permitted"; Newt Moore, crew chief of the #36 Pontiac, James Ince, crew chief of the #10 Pontiac and Lee McCall, crew chief of the #40 Dodge all received $500 fines and penalized under Sections 12-4-Q and 20-12-1A: "Any determination by NASCAR officials that parts and/or equipment used in the event do not conform to NASCAR rules; Section 20-12.1A (3); Unapproved jacking bolts." Chris Carrier, crew chief of the #4 Chevy, was also fined an $500 and penalized under Sections 12-4-Q and 20-10-6J: "Any determination by NASCAR officials that parts and/or equipment used in the event do not conform to NASCAR rules; Section 20-10.6.J: Magnetic rear axle heating pads." In the BGN, crew chief Jason Ratcliff of the #27 Pontiac, was fined $2,000 and penalized under Section 12-4-Q in the 2002 BGN rule book: "Any determination by NASCAR officials that parts and/or equipment used in the event do not conform to NASCAR rules; Unapproved rear spring."(NASCAR PR)(7-10-2002)

  • Dixon out drags Johnson in Vote: Larry Dixon, who has dominated the National Hot Rod Association's Top Fuel division for much of this season, edged Winston Cup rookie Jimmie Johnson in the second-quarter voting for Driver of the Year by a 16-member media panel and fans voting on ESPN.com. Dixon, who got eight first-place votes and 96 points in the balloting while Johnson got 88 points, went to the final round in six straight NHRA events from April 28 to June 16 and won four. He's only the second drag racer to win recognition from the panel. John Force won the annual award in 1996.(ThatsRacin.com)(4th of July 2002)

  • Johnson wins at Dover: #48-Jimmie Johnson wins his 2nd career Cup race (in 16 starts). #9-Bill Elliott was 2nd followed by #99-Jeff Burton. See ThatsRacin.com for Unofficial MBNA America 400 results and Unofficial standings after the MBNA America 400 and a story: Johnson strongest again, picks up win. And for race commentary and casution rundown and some notes along with re-air times for the race, see my MBNA Platinum 400 Race Info page.(6-2-2002)

  • Johnson ties rookie record: #48-Jimmie Johnson has tied the record for the fastest two wins in the Winston Cup modern era (1972 to present), winning two races by his 16th start. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr and Davey Allison also won in their 16th start, Kevin Harvick won his 2nd race in his 17th start. Johnson(2 wins so far), Allison(2), Earnhardt Jr.(2), Stewart(3 the record) and Harvick(2) are the only drivers (modern era) to win two or more races in their rookie year. Some comparisons - Tony Stewart did it in his 32nd race, Dale Earnhardt in his 41st, Jeff Gordon 50th, Darrell Waltrip 65th and Bobby Labonte 77th. Not sure what the all time record is but Red Byron won his 2nd race in his 5th start during the first NASCAR Grand National(Before Winston Cup) season in 1949.(6-2-2002)

  • #48 Scheme at Lowes UPDATE: hearing the #48 Lowes Chevy will carry a Power of Pride scheme at The Winston and Coke 600, see my Paint Scheme Gallery for a possible scheme.(5-16-2002)
    UPDATE: In an effort that began May 3 at the Pontiac Excitement 400 race in Richmond, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and Team Lowe's Racing are touring a giant thank you card to the U.S. military. Military supporters will be able to write their personal messages and signatures on the card at multiple sporting events and Lowe's stores throughout the spring. There is a special kind of pride American military supporters feel for the men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces and many have never had the chance to personally express their gratitude. Now, thanks to this larger than life military tribute, thousands will finally get that chance. "We want to give Americans an opportunity to express their personal gratitude to the men and women serving our country," said Bob Tillman, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO. "The Power of Pride is a way for all of us to salute these brave Americans and thank them for all they do." Culminating the tour Memorial Day Weekend, Lowe's will display the fully assembled 140 by 48 foot Power of Pride themed card during the Coca-Cola 600 at the Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 26. Of special note, actor Owen Wilson, the Coca-Cola 600 grand marshal, will add the ceremonial final signature to the card before it's shipped to a military location to be determined. Each person who signs the giant card will receive a commemorative Power of Pride marker and bumper sticker, and for racing fans, the Team Lowe's #48 Power of Pride show car will be on display. Lowe's created the Power of Pride initiative as a way to pay tribute to the men and women serving in the armed forces and local police and fire departments. In the wake of Sept. 11, Lowe's, its employee owners and customers raised more than $6 million for relief organizations and U.S. military, police officers and firefighters who put their lives on the line to save others.(Golin-Harris PR)(5-17-2002)

  • Knaus wins award: Chad Knaus, the crew chief of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy that Jimmie Johnson drove to his first Winston Cup win in Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 500, has won this week's Irwin Rough to the Finish Award for crew chiefs. Knaus, who had also won the award for the March 3 UAW/DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas, won for his pit work and strategy throughout the race at California Speedway, including a late-race call to take only fuel on Johnson's final pit stop.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(5-1-2002)

  • #48: the last time a Cup car with the #48 won, was in August of 1972 when James Hylton won at Talladega. See my Wins by Number page for all the wins by car numbers. PLUS Johnson is now the eligible to run the 2002 The Winston.(4--29-2002)

  • more numbers: #48-Jimmie Johnson became the 162 different driver to win a Winston Cup race in 1967 races. See my All Time Winston Cup Wins page.(4-29-2002)

  • NAPCM Pit Crew of the Week #48 - Jimmy Johnson's Lowe's Crew - consistent pit stops in the low 15 second range kept Jimmy Johnson in the front of the pack all day.(NAPCM PR)(3-11-2002)

  • Knaus wins Irwin Crew Chief of the Week Honors: After qualifying near the back of the pack for last week's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 in Las Vegas, Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team rallied back from a bit of bad luck to finish an eye-catching sixth, the highest finishing spot for the team this season. Johnson climbed from 25th to 13th position early in the race before falling a lap back after an ill-timed green flag pit stop. Despite the setback, the team's crew chief, Chad Knaus, was confident that they had a car capable enough to post a strong finish and be a top competitor in the race. Johnson, who led the race at one point, managed to gain a total of 19 track positions throughout the course of the race and cross the finish line in sixth position, helping earn Knaus this week's "IRWIN Rough to Finish Award." Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, IRWIN, makers of professional power tool accessories like MARATHON PLUS saw blades and SPEEDBOR flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The "IRWIN Rough to the Finish Award" includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Connie Parsons Memorial Fund in the racing team's name. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund.(Golin/Harris PR)(3-6-2002)

  • #48 Crewman hurt UPDATE: The tire carrier for #48-Jimmie Johnson, David Bryant, was injured during the first round of pit stops and has been transferred to a local hospital for x-rays on his right leg, he is awake and alert. MRN radio reports that Bryant was hit by the car that pits in front of Johnson (Mark Martin), he was taken to Richmond Memorial Hospital in Rockingham, NC with an injury between the knee and ankle. It was reported later in the race that Bryant has a broken right leg and is being transferred to a Charlottee hospital.
    UPDATE: David Bryant, the front-tire carrier for rookie Jimmie Johnson who was injured in a pit road accident Sunday at Rockingham, had surgery to repair a compound fracture of his right leg and remains in Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Bryant, 23, was hit on pit road by the car of Mark Martin during a round of pit stops on Lap 20 of Sunday’s Subway 400. Bryant is expected to be out of action for up to five months. Jay Lupo, a mechanic with the #24 team of Jeff Gordon, substituted for Bryant Sunday and will continue in that role.(ThatsRacin.com)(2-25-2002)

  • Testing at 'Dega: #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson are wrapping up a two-day test today at Talladega. ARCA Champ Frank Kimmel is also at the track testing(1-22-2002)

    2001 News

  • Johnson featured: Jimmie Johnson [driver of the #48 Lowes Chevy and 2002 ROTY Candidate] is featured in the current edition of ESPN the Magazine (Dec. 24). Johnson was selected to represent auto racing in its annual "Who's Next" edition, photos available on ESPN.com (12-17-2001)

  • Johnson and Racing Champions: Racing Champions Corporation announced that a new multi-product and trackside vending license agreement has been reached with JG Motorsports, the licensing administrator for Jimmie Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports #48 Lowe's team. Under the terms of this agreement, Racing Champions will produce and market die-cast replicas, apparel, souvenirs, and novelties related to the #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet, whose primary sponsor is Lowe's Home Improvement. The Company's rights include exclusive distribution to mass retail for die-cast, and exclusive distribution at all NASCAR Winston Cup events for all products. Under a separate agreement, the Company also has obtained rights to produce Press Pass® trading cards related to the driver and team.(Racing Champions Site)(12-10-2001)

  • Knaus to the #48? UPDATE 2 hearing #92 Melling Racing crew chief Chad Knaus is considering offers to crew chief the #48 Jimmie Johnson driven/Hendrick Motorsports Lowe's Chevy and the #7 Casey Atwood driven/Ultra Motorsports-Evernham Motorsports Dodge for next season(11-23-2001)
    UPDATE: hearing Knaus will go to the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team(11-26-2001)
    UPDATE 2: Chad Knaus, one of the original Rainbow Warriors who helped build Jeff Gordon's #24 Team into a powerhouse, has been named crew chief for the new #48 Lowe's Chevy Team with Driver Jimmie Johnson, it was announced today. The team is co-owned by four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who has amassed five Winston Cup championships and three Craftsman Truck championships over the past seven seasons. The team will be housed in the same facility as Gordon's team and the two teams will work closely in race preparation and execution.(Hendrick Motor Sports PR)(12-7-2001)

  • Sospenzo Looking: The #12 team isn't the only organization waiting to see whether owner Roger Penske keeps the doors open. Several teams, including Rick Hendrick's #48 (Jimmie Johnson), have expressed interest in crew chief Peter Sospenzo if the #12 shop shuts down. Sospenzo says he has spoken with the Hendrick organization.(Sporting News)(11-19-2001)

  • #48 Crew Chief...for now: Ken Howes, the director of competition for Hendrick Motorsports and a former full-time Winston Cup crew chief, was the crew chief for Jimmie Johnson in his Winston Cup debut at Charlotte. He also will be Johnson's crew chief at Homestead and Atlanta(Winston Cup Scene)(10-11-2001)

  • Lowe's Helps Out: Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver Robby Gordon are "Racing For Relief" this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway to raise funds for the families of the firefighters killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. As part of its "Power of Pride" campaign, Lowe's will donate to the New York Firefighters' 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund $100 for every lap Gordon completes and $1,000 for every lap he leads in Sunday's UAW-GM Quality 500. In conjunction with the donation-per-lap campaign, the #31 Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse Chevrolet will carry special decals including the American Flag and a N.Y. Firefighters' decal on the #31 Chevrolet.(RCR Racing), the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy and driver Jimmie Johnson will also run Lowes [his sponsor for 2 more races in 2001 and full-time in 2002] colors and do the same "Power of Pride" campaign(10-4-2001)

  • Lowes to Hendrick? UPDATE 7: from the Winston Salem Journal - Lowe's is now expected to move from the Richard Childress camp(#31) to Hendrick's to sponsor incoming rookie (#48) Jimmie Johnson next season, according to NASCAR sources(Winston Salem Journal) BUT from a SpeedVision Interview with Richard Childress: Q) Is the Lowe's situation as safe as we've heard it is? A) "You're going to be hearing some announcements on that. We're going to be okay with the third [#31] team. Lowe's will honor their contract [through 2002]. The direction they go, I'm going to leave that up to y'all. We've agreed we're going to honor it, but we have other things working"(SpeedVision)(8-7-2001)
    UPDATE: Winston Cup team owner Rick Hendrick hopes to announce the primary sponsor for Jimmie Johnson's Winston Cup effort within the next six weeks. "We have associates and all that done, we just haven't announced it," Hendrick said Aug. 3. "Probably sometime in the next 30 to 45 days. We haven't signed anything yet." If Lowe's were to leave Richard Childress Racing, rumors are the company could move to Hendrick Motorsports.(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read online)
    UPDATE 2: the Herald-Citizen reports that Jimmy Johnson will run a limited schedule next season in preparation for a full run for Hendrick in 2003. That would allow Lowe's to sponsor him in those races in 2002, then move over to him on a full time basis in 2003(Herald Citizen), but all reports and indications I have seen say Johnson will run fulltime in 2002, he will make five or so starts in 2001 in the #48 starting at Lowes in Oct(8-9-2001)
    UPDATE 3: hearing that Haas Automation, currently an associate sponsor on the three current Hendricks cars(#'s 5,24,25) could be the primary sponsor of the #48 Chevy for Johnson(8-21-2001)
    UPDATE 4: There are indications that Lowe's suddenly might not have as solid a sponsorship deal with Hendrick and rookie Jimmie Johnson as once anticipated, that Lowe's might not be that interested in marketing such a young rookie, even with the Jeff Gordon tie-in.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-3-2001)
    UPDATE 5 - Hendrick to announce new team on Tuesday: Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon are expected to officially announce their plans for a 2002 Winston Cup team for Jimmie Johnson at Tuesday's media day at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The selection of the site for the announcement is no coincidence since it appears that Lowe's will be the primary sponsor for Johnson's team(That's Racin')(9-17-2001)
    UPDATE 6: a letter/flyer was sent out by Lowes to Team Lowes Racing Fan Club members, the letter says (in part) - "In 2002, Jimmie Johnson will take the wheel of the #48 Lowes Monte Carlo and team with three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon as part of the successful Hendrick Motorsports stable of drivers. You can catch a sneak preview of the new team at three events this year, as Jimmie will debut the #48 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC, on October 7, followed by runs at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 11 and Atlanta Motor Speedway on November 18(many readers), also see a 'possible' image of what the #48 will look like on my Paint Schemes page(9-18-2001)
    UPDATE 7 - it's OFFICIAL: Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse announced today a multi-year primary sponsorship with Hendrick Motorsports for the new #48 Monte Carlo team to be driven by Jimmie Johnson in the Winston Cup 2002 season. In addition, Lowe's will be an associate sponsor on the #24 Monte Carlo driven by Jeff Gordon, who will be Johnson's new teammate. The new Lowe's #48 will give fans a sneak preview on Oct. 7 when it makes its racing debut at Lowe's Motor Speedway, followed by runs at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 11 and Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 18. The car will run a full schedule in 2002. The Lowe's sponsorship is the final piece of a program that began earlier this year when Hendrick signed Johnson to drive for the team in 2002. The #48 Lowe's Monte Carlo will be co-owned by Hendrick and Gordon, a three-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion. See an image from CMI on my Paint Schemes page(CMI PR)(9-18-2001)

  • Johnson's Plans UPDATE 2: Jimmie Johnson, who is scheduled to run for Winston Cup rookie of the year with Hendrick Motorsports in 2002, will hold off on the Cup series for now as he attempts to improve his BGN performance. Johnson will probably run four to six Cup races, but none before the August race at Michigan Speedway(Gaston Gazette)(2-9-2001)
    UPDATE: Initially, Johnson thought his debut might come at Michigan in August, but it now appears he'll wait until the October event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. A tentative schedule he won't divulge calls for at least four races with his future #48 team and possibly as many as seven(Winston Cup Scene)(5-3-2001)
    UPDATE 2: Johnson said Saturday at The Milwaukee Mile that he'll make his Cup debut at Charlotte in October in the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy. Johnson also said he plans to run at least four Winston Cup races in 2001, in preparation for his 2002 rookie season, Charlotte(Lowes), Rockingham, Talladega and Atlanta and possible up to six races. Johnson will test a Hendrick Motorsports Chevy for the first time early next week at Kentucky Speedway. He's never driven a Winston Cup car before. In past weeks, rumors had arisen that, rather than add another team, Hendrick might just replace a current HMS driver with Johnson. Johnson says there's no truth to it. "I think that's pretty bogus," Johnson said. "Terry's(Labonte) under a long term contract, Jerry(Nadeau), too, and of course Jeff(Gordon) signed a lifetime deal."(NASCAR.com)(6-30-2001)

  • Johnson's Plans UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson, who is scheduled to run for Winston Cup rookie of the year with Hendrick Motorsports in 2002, will hold off on the Cup series for now as he attempts to improve his BGN performance. Johnson will probably run four to six Cup races, but none before the August race at Michigan Speedway(Gaston Gazette)(2-9-2001)
    UPDATE: Initially, Johnson thought his debut might come at Michigan in August, but it now appears he'll wait until the October event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. A tentative schedule he won't divulge calls for at least four races with his future #48 team and possibly as many as seven(Winston Cup Scene - need subscrition to read online)(5-3-2001)

  • Johnson is #48: Hendrick Motorsports also will field a fourth Winston Cup car out of the #24 team's shop for four events in 2001. Driving the #48 car will be 25-year old Jimmie Johnson, who last year competed in the BGN, driving the #92 Alltel Chevrolet for Herzog Motorsports. The rookie finished 10th in the point standings, claiming six top-10 finishes. Hendrick has plans to field the #48 car in a full schedule in 2002(HMS Site)(1-10-2001)

    2000 News

  • New HMS Building: Hendrick Motorsports Inc. will build an addition to its current racing facility, giving Winston Cup driver Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson their own building. It is estimated that the 85,000-square-foot building, to be constructed across the Hendrick complex in Harrisburg, NC will cost as much as $6 million. Gordon will share the new building with Johnson, who will join the Hendrick organization for the 2002 Winston Cup season(Business Journal)(10-30-2000)

  • New Hendrick Driver? UPDATE: hearing #92 BGN driver, Jimmie Johnson, will do testing for Hendrick Motorsports(HMS) in 2001 and run in Cup for HMS in 2002, a fourth HMS team?...but would still run in the BGN with the #92 Herzog Motorsports team in 2001
    UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson has signed with Hendrick Motorsports as driver for a full-time Cup team in 2002, Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick announced today. Johnson, who currently drives the #92 Alltel Chevy owned by Herzog Motorsports on the BGN, will compete in four Winston Cup events for Hendrick Motorsports next season before assuming full-time driving duties in 2002. In addition to four Winston Cup races, Johnson will run a full Busch schedule next season with his team at Herzog Motorsports(Hendrick Motorsports Site)(9-22-2000)

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