“I didn’t enjoy it that much” – Jimmie Johnson gets honest about his unreal championship run with Rick Hendrick

Jimmie Johnson will probably never win another race. That hardly matters, because the motorsport legend has fulfilled almost all the criteria that racing has to offer. His laurels include 83 NASCAR Cup race victories, an Indianapolis 500 and being named “Rookie of the Year,” and a 24 Hours of Le Mans. What stands out the most, however, is probably his unbroken championship streak with Rick Hendrick.

Johnson owns an astounding 7 Cup Series championships, a feat reserved for only two other people. When he won his last title in 2016, he nestled up against the sport’s all-time gems – Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who both have the same number of titles. But even after receiving this award, Johnson has some regrets – that he didn’t enjoy it to the fullest.

Jimmie Johnson was too busy

Well, if you work for Rick Hendrick, you have to be a high achiever. That’s exactly what Jimmie Johnson brought to the table. With his achievements, he helped Hendrick Motorsports achieve sacred status. He made the team the all-time leader in Cup titles – 14. After Johnson’s run in 2016, HMS won 12 championships, ranking 7th all-time among other major American professional sports leagues. For example, the New York Yankees have had 27 World Series titles, the Montreal Canadiens have 24 Stanley Cup titles, and the Boston Celtics have 17 NBA titles. But in the process of achieving more and more for the team, Johnson eventually lost his sense of satisfaction.

In a recent interview with Racer, Jimmie Johnson openly admitted that he didn’t have the time to take it all in. “I have to say that at the moment I’m so focused on making it and trying to do it again that I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I should.” In fact, Johnson’s performance was no less breathtaking. In 2016, at age 41, Johnson became the youngest driver to win seven Sprint Cup championships. Petty was 42 when he achieved his seventh-place finish and Earnhardt was 44.

Johnson was a fierce competitor and set the tone for his future dominance since his rookie season in 2002. In his rookie season he won three races and finished fifth in the drivers’ standings. Not too shabby at all. From 2002 to 2010, Johnson finished in the top five every year and was the only Cup Series driver to win five consecutive championships – accomplishing the feat from 2006 to 2010.

You can understand how focused he was on success, so it’s no surprise that he regrets not enjoying it as much. With each season the expectations and pressure to succeed increased. The level of consistency he displayed will likely never be matched again, and Johnson was only able to truly appreciate his career during his Hall of Fame ceremony.

Despite unfulfilling moments, the legend was happy to be reunited with familiar faces. During the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024 induction ceremony on Jan. 19, Jimmie Johnson was happy to see his old colleagues there. “Being reunited with so many friends from the trip, seeing them in that hall that night, then the big after-party… friends coming to town – it just reflected that. We all know it’s a busy sport and we worry about what’s next and not what just happened. And I finally let it in as much as I could. I hope there are more of these Easter eggs for me in life because I had so much fun.”

Johnson’s legacy is already stamped in gold. But his team owner was no less happy that he was coming back.

A warm welcome to the legend

Jimmie Johnson hung up his fire suit and his full-time NASCAR racing at the end of the 2020 season. He then tried his hand at IndyCar racing, part-time in 2021 and full-time in 2022. In 2021, Johnson then competed full-time in the IMSA sports car series. However, his NASCAR itch never really subsided as he bought a stake in Petty GMS and renamed it Legacy Motor Club in 2023. But the old spark didn’t come back. Admittedly, Johnson had difficulty adjusting to the next-gen car upon his return to the track. In his 9 Cup starts this year, the legend could only finish 26th or worse. As a true “gentleman racer,” Johnson can just focus on having fun and not worry about results.

Despite his inability to keep up with the times, Jimmie Johnson will always remain a legend. His team owner Rick Hendrick heartily admitted this. Upon Johnson’s return to NASCAR for the 2023 Daytona 500, Hendricks’ joy was evident. “This is a great day for our sport. Jimmie (Johnson) is one of the track’s greatest champions of all time… Seeing Jimmie in a fire suit with his name on the roof of a Chevrolet at the DAYTONA 500 will be very special for many people. Competing against him will certainly be an adjustment and a big challenge. But we welcome his return to NASCAR and look forward to the next chapter of a truly remarkable career.”

Once a legend, always a legend. Jimmie Johnson doesn’t know much about modern NASCAR racing. Still, his contribution to the sport will be timeless.