Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson was born on September 17, 1975, in El Cajon, California. He did not enter motorsport through karting, but rather on two wheels: At just four years old, he started racing motocross in 1980 and soon won his first championship in the 60cc class. After high school at Granite Hills, he switched to off-road racing and collected multiple Rookie of the Year titles in series such as the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group, the Short-course Off-road Drivers Association, and SCORE International.

The transition to stock-car racing came in 1998, when Johnson entered the scene with Herzog Motorsports and was promptly named Rookie of the Year in the American Speed Association. In 2000, the team shifted its activities to the NASCAR Busch Series. Johnson garnered particular attention from Jeff Gordon, who convinced Rick Hendrick to bring the young driver into Hendrick Motorsports starting in 2002 for the then-Winston Cup Series, with Gordon himself as a co-owner of the car. Already in his first full season, he finished fifth in the final standings, followed by second-place finishes in 2003 and 2004, and fifth place again in 2005.

His greatest career achievements were not long in coming: In 2006, Johnson won his first Cup title, followed by additional championships in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, making him the only driver in NASCAR history to win five consecutive titles. After sixth place in 2011 and third place in 2012, his sixth title came in 2013, and finally his seventh in 2016, which tied him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the all-time record. He also won the Daytona 500 twice, in 2006 and 2013. Between 2002 and 2017, he accumulated 83 race wins, 222 top-five finishes, and 341 top-ten finishes, along with 35 pole positions. From 2021 to 2022, he also ventured into the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.

In the 2026 season, Jimmie Johnson is driving full-time for Legacy Motor Club, piloting the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE in the part-time NASCAR Cup Series program. In addition, he competes in the Craftsman Truck Series for Tricon Garage with the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Although his schedule is now reduced, his ambitions remain high: On strong weekends, the seven-time champion still aims to contend for top finishes and bring his experience to bear in the field.