NASCAR NATION REACTS TO JOHNSON TYING EARNHARDT
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Six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson tied seven-time champ Dale Earnhardt's mark of 76 career premier series victories by virtue of his overtime win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
NASCAR Nation took to Twitter to congratulate "Six-Time" for reaching such a historic and revered mark.
Respect
5:07 PM - 28 Feb 2016
Amazing career @JimmieJohnson! 76 wins tying my dad and you are in incredible company with wins and championships. Pretty cool to see.
4:39 PM - 28 Feb 2016
Well said!!! Great job @JimmieJohnson Kelley Earnhardt on Twitter …
4:45 PM - 28 Feb 2016
This is @JimmieJohnson's 76th career victory. He ties Dale Earnhardt Sr. In all-time wins!
4:40 PM - 28 Feb 2016
Congrats @JimmieJohnson @TeamHendrick on the big win. Good to see @kennyhabul smiling in victory lane!
4:58 PM - 28 Feb 2016
Congrats @JimmieJohnson and #48 team.
4:37 PM - 28 Feb 2016
NASCAR Nation reacts to Johnson tying Earnhardt | NASCAR.com
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Brian France is making a hard push for it, maybe this is one of those little things to get it there.I thought this was like a stick and ball sport?
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JUNIOR: 'DAD WOULD HAVE LOVED JIMMIE'
It was an emotional Sunday for both Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as "Six-Time" tied Dale Earnhardt for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories with a total of 76.
The son of "The Intimidator" met his Hendrick Motorsports teammate in Victory Lane to offer his congratulations and kind words.
Junior also took to Twitter to show his support and voice how proud he was to come up short to the No. 48 Chevrolet.
Congrats to my friend and teammate @JimmieJohnson on tying my father today in Cup wins. Proud to have ran 2nd on this momentous occasion.
5:32 PM - 28 Feb 2016
Here's what else Earnhardt Jr. said of the milestone win:
• "Knowing Jimmie Johnson and the way he operates, Dad would have loved Jimmie. How can you not like Jimmie? He's just a good guy who never stepped over the line with anything he's ever said or anything he's ever did."
• "I don't have a problem calling him the best of this generation, even as a competitor of his and having to go out there and race against him. Obviously he will credit his crew chief and his team. That all has been real consistent throughout his career, and they do deserve some credit, but Jimmie is just a phenomenal talent."
• "I told him on a couple occasions that when he tied daddy, he'd better say something cool, and he'd better tell them that it's awesome for him to tie him, because I know Jeff (Gordon) had the flag and all that, so that was awesome when your competitors and peers recognize your father like that."
Junior: 'Dad would have loved Jimmie' | NASCAR.com
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Dale Jr. believes Dale Sr. "would have thought the world of" Jimmie Johnson
Team owner Rick Hendrick never thought he’d see the day when one of his drivers earn 76 victories — let alone two.
While Johnson did not reach the milestone as quickly as Jeff Gordon, who accomplished the feat in 2007 when he won from the pole at Phoenix in his 481st career Sprint Cup start, what the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy has been able to accomplish in 15 seasons is impressive.
In 12 years, Johnson became the first driver in the Sprint Cup era and just the third driver in the history of NASCAR to win six championships. On Sunday, in his 509th Cup start, the 40-year-old El Cajon, California-native became just the eighth driver to reach 76 wins.
"One of the best that's ever been"
“I really wasn't aware of that today until the end of the race,” Hendrick said of Johnson reaching the mark. “I think when you look at Jimmie's career and you look at how quick he's gotten to 76 and he's got six championships, I think you've got to say that he's one of the best that's ever been in the sport.”
“You know, it means a lot to him and a lot to all of us. We're all big Earnhardt fans, but it's going to be interesting to see how many races and championships Jimmie and Chad can win.”
There’s not a bigger Earnhardt fan in the Hendrick camp than Dale Earnhardt Jr. The son of the late seven-time champion treasured the moments he spent with his father on and off the track.
Dale Jr. speaks of Jimmie Johnson's character
But the driver of the No. 88 Chevy has tremendous respect for his teammate and what he’s been able to accomplish since breaking into the Xfinity Series in 2000. His most admirable trait, according to Earnhardt, is Johnson’s ability to remain true to himself.
“I thought that when he won five championships in a row, he’s pretty good,” Earnhardt said. “I don't have a problem calling him the best of this generation even as a competitor of his and having to go out there and race against him. Obviously he will credit his crew chief and his team. That all has been real consistent throughout his career, and they do deserve some credit, but Jimmie is just a phenomenal talent.
“One of the things about Jimmie that I think he doesn't get enough credit for is that he's the same Jimmie that I knew when he drove the 59 Charcoal car at St. Louis as he is today, even after all this success. He's a guy that you can walk up to, he's approachable, he's real easy‑going. All the success didn't change him much. He just has a little bit more money in his pocket now than he did then, but he certainly doesn't act any different.
“He doesn't get enough credit for that, because I don't know if I won five in a row, that would probably change me a little bit or anybody else. But it's amazing, he's really down to earth, so you like to see him do well. Obviously he's my teammate, love seeing him do well. When he does well, we learn, we get better. It's been awesome being in his shop and sharing a shop with Chad because I think that's helped my career. So I definitely enjoy working with Jimmie, and very proud of him.”
How to handle the moment
Out of respect to Earnhardt, Johnson discussed how he should handle the moment in advance. Although the fans offered Gordon little pushback when he reached the mark at Phoenix, after he scored his 77th victory at Talladega the following race the reception wasn’t nearly as warm.
“I talked to Dale six months ago or a while ago, last year at some point about it, and I also talked to Jeff,” Johnson said. “I was shocked that he had a little bit of backlash when he flew the 3 flag in Phoenix, and I was like, really, why?
“So I just made sure that I spoke to Junior a little bit, and he shared with me that he really feels like his dad would have had a ton of respect for me and would have enjoyed racing against me, and we would have had a great friendship.
“Kind of covering that base with Dale a while ago helped me, and with the confusion of how overtime works, I kind of forgot that that win was 76 and then it hit me after I had taken the checkered flag and was doing my victory lap, so I had to come back around and certainly wanted to pay respect to Dale.”
Earnhardt’s only suggestion for when Johnson tied the record was that “he'd better say something cool.”
“And he'd better tell them that it's awesome for him to tie him, because I know Jeff had the flag and all that, so that was awesome when your competitors and peers recognize your father like that,” Earnhardt added.
“I knew this day was coming, but I didn't know it until we got out of the car. I'm glad if he's going to win and tie that record, I'm certainly glad that I got to run second today.”
One thing Jimmie Johnson will never get to do as a NASCAR driver
Johnson, who didn’t make his Cup debut until eight months after Dale Earnhardt’s passing, has been vocal about the void left by the seven-time champion in the sport. Despite Johnson’s accomplishments, racing against Earnhardt is something he had always hoped to do.
“I think dad would have liked Jimmie as a person, but he certainly wouldn't have enjoyed competing against him,” Earnhardt said. “I don't think any of us really ‑‑ I mean, I love when we race door to door, but when he goes out there and spanks you it's not a lot of fun.
“You know, knowing dad and knowing Jimmie's character, they would have gotten along tremendously and dad would have thought the world of him. He said he felt the same way about Jeff when Jeff came in. He had nothing but awesome things to say about Jeff when Jeff was a rookie and they ended up becoming great friends and working together in businesses away from the racetrack and doing things together, so they definitely trusted each other, but they're definitely tough competitors on the track.
“But Jimmie, how can you not like Jimmie? He's just a good guy that never stepped over the line with anything he's ever said or anything he's ever did, so I think it's awesome to praise him.”
Dale Jr. believes Dale Sr. "would have thought the world of" Jimmie Johnson
Union 76: Atlanta win puts Jimmie Johnson in special place with Dale Earnhardt
When he was younger, when he was just Jimmie Johnson instead of a six-time Sprint Cup champion, he used to argue, as brothers do, about various topics.
When it came to racing, Jimmie Johnson was a Jeff Gordon fan and his younger brother, Jarit, was a Dale Earnhardt fan.
“The banter we had back and forth through all of it was just fun,’’ Jimmie Johnson said. “I guess it’s just what all of our fans do day in and day out. They pick their driver and have their rivalries internally in their own house.
“A lot of fun memories of picking on my brother, but he won a lot, so it was tough to always have the upper hand.’’
Sunday, Jimmie Johnson tied Earnhardt with his 76th career series win, moving into a tie for seventh on NASCAR’s all-time victory list. Cale Yarborough ranks sixth with 83 career wins.
“I knew this day was coming,’’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. said of Johnson’s historic win. “I’m certainly glad that I got to run second today.
“I think dad would have liked Jimmie as a person, but he certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed competing against him. Knowing dad and knowing Jimmie’s character, they would have gotten along tremendously and dad would have thought the world of him.
“He said he felt the same way about Jeff (Gordon) when Jeff came in. He had nothing but awesome things to say about Jeff when Jeff was a rookie and they ended up becoming great friends and working together in businesses away from the racetrack and doing things together, so they definitely trusted each other, but they’re definitely tough competitors on the track. But Jimmie, how can you not like Jimmie? He’s just a good guy that never stepped over the line with anything he’s ever said or anything he’s ever did, so I think it’s awesome to praise him.’’
Johnson celebrated his accomplishment by driving past the stands with his left hand out the door and three fingers raised.
“I kind of forgot that that win was 76 and then it hit me after I had taken the checkered flag and was doing my victory lap, so I had to come back around and certainly wanted to pay respect to Dale,’’ Johnson said.
The moment also was meaningful to car owner Rick Hendrick.
“You know, I never thought when I got in the sport I’d win 76 wins with anybody altogether, and to have Jeff do it and now Jimmie tie him,’’ Hendrick said. “I think when you look at Jimmie’s career and you look at how quick he’s gotten to 76 and he’s got six championships, I think you’ve got to say that he’s one of the best that’s ever been in the sport.’’
Said Earnhardt of Johnson: “I don’t have a problem calling him the best of this generation.’’
Johnson got the chance to tie Earnhardt’s victory total because of a gusty call by crew chief Chad Knaus, who had Johnson make his final green-flag pit stop well before the rest of the field.
“I really felt like that was going to hurt us, and late in the run I assumed Kevin (Harvick) would just run me back down,’’ Johnson said. “You just know he’s coming. You’re staring in the mirror and wondering where he’s at, and then also wondering if Chad was telling me the truth about lap times and the gap back to him, and it all worked out.’’
Harvick never did. Knaus’ decision worked as planned.
“It was a gamble for sure,’’ Knaus said of when to pit Johnson for the final time under green. “We hadn’t gone that far yet on a set of tires. We were trying to figure out what to do. We were chatting about it, myself and my engineers, who do a great job, and we could have easily just hung out and finished third, but we weren’t going to pass those guys, so we had to do something.
“So it was just a matter of how early to pit because if we didn’t pit early enough, if we only pitted just a couple laps earlier than everybody else, it would have pulled the rest of them down with us, so we had to make it to where we did it to where it would make them uncomfortable and not willing maybe to take that risk.’’
And that gave Johnson this special win.
“I think the gamble that Chad made puts it in a special category in the fact that we were able to hold on and get there,’’ Johnson said. “And then obviously the fact that it’s my 76th and tying Dale, I don’t know if it’s bigger than my first win, but it’s right there with it.’’
Union 76: Atlanta win puts Jimmie Johnson in special place with Dale Earnhardt
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