“Backbone to It All”: Jimmie Johnson Credits Family for NASCAR Success

Jimmie Johnson spent two decades in NASCAR, winning 83 Cup Series races and a record-tying seven championships. In an episode of The Artist and The Athlete, Jimmie Johnson opened up about the importance of his family behind his success.

When a NASCAR driver wins a race, most of the fans credit the team and the crew chief. However, that’s not all. Family plays a major role in sustaining the calm mindset of a driver that is crucial for these risky races on NASCAR’s ovals.

Johnson said, “At the core of it, I’ve had so much support from Chani (wife Chandra Janway) and my girls, their love, their pride, their involvement has probably not been spoken about enough.”

For the Legacy Motorclub owner, family comes first. He admitted, “It’s usually always about the team and the performance. But, the only way I can puff my chest and hop in that race car is by knowing things are locked down at home and I have that support and car and love and that system behind me.”

“I was raised that way with my parents and have created my own family…so that’s really the backbone to it all,” he added.

“I will kick myself down the road,” Jimmie Johnson revealed IndyCar mindset

During the same conversation, Johnson explained the reasons why he was considering moving to IndyCar. He declared it was his “dream as a kid” as he grew up in Southern California.

However, he felt like things wouldn’t be as easy for him. Johnson explained, “It’s not NASCAR anymore, I’m starting over as a 45-year-old rookie, so I’m really going to be tested on that belief, and that’s one of many, and I’m looking forward to it.”

He always wanted to follow in the footsteps of veteran off-road racers like Robby Gordon, Rick Mears, Roger Mears, who went to IndyCar. “I almost feel like if I pass up this experience that I have access to, I will kick myself down the road,” exclaimed Johnson. “I’ll kick myself more for not taking this experience than I will kick myself if I go out there and don’t perform as I hope that I can.”