Just weeks before NASCAR’s “silly season” of accelerated contract negotiation and frenzied driver movement speculation, six-time Sprint Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson remains without an extension to remain at Hendrick Motorsports. But that sounds like just a formality. Before the 5-hour Energy 301 on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Johnson told USA TODAY Sports that while there was “nothing new” in completing negotiations, he doesn’t foresee a move from the team with which he has raced his entire 15-year Sprint Cup career. “(Team owner) Rick (Hendrick) likes to get things signed up and done well in advance, so there definitely have been conversations,” Johnson said. “We’re kind of going down the road to get that all buttoned up and put together. But I’m home. I’m not going anywhere.”(USA Today)(7-20-2015)
UPDATE: Johnson met with members of the media at Indianapolis and discussed his contract extension, the transcript in part:
Q) WHAT IS THE LATEST ON YOUR CONTRACT EXTENSION AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT CHAD (KNAUS, CREW CHIEF) TO BE BACK NEXT YEAR?
Johnson: “We still have, is it next year on our contract? I don’t even know. We are obviously not concerned. We have been getting things buttoned up with Lowe’s, with Hendrick, with Chad and myself, all of that. Like I said, I think last week, I’m home it’s just a formality at this point to get everything kind of finished up and done.”(Team Chevy)(7-29-2015)
UPDATE2: Rick Hendrick confirmed Tuesday that an announcement is likely next week in regards to Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and sponsor Lowe’s. All three are in the final year of their contracts with Hendrick Motorsports. “You might not have to wait a week,” Hendrick said with a smile. “It’s just a matter of rolling it out, probably next week.” Johnson last signed a five-year contract extension that carried through this season. Lowe’s signed a two-year extension in Feb. 2013, putting its deal in line with Johnson’s and Knaus’.(NBC Sports)(9-8-2015)
