There’s no one like Jimmie Johnson. That’s a fact. The former Hendrick Motorsports driver is as iconic as athletes come. He’s one of the most successful drivers in the history of NASCAR. He’s also a pretty decent guy, loved and respected by all his peers and his rivals. So it’s no surprise that Jeff Gordon deemed him a good example for his children.
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Back in 2014, during an interview with Jeff Gluck for USA Today, Gordon was asked about his pick for a driver who he’d consider a good example for his children. And Gordon’s finger pointed towards his teammate.
“There are a lot of good guys in the garage area. But you know, Jimmie (Johnson) lives near us, he’s a good dad, he’s a great race car driver and I think he’s very well-balanced. So I’d say probably Jimmie. He and I can relate. We both have two children, we both have won championships, we kind of understand their lifestyle and feel like they understand our lifestyle,” Gordon described.
“And I’ve probably seen him more away from the track than anyone else.”
The 4x Cup champion also gave a shout-out to Casey Mears as well, putting the 46-year-old in the same category as the 7x Cup champion. “They’re both dads, good people, and fun to be around. I think they’re good parents,” Gordon added.
Jeff Gordon puts Jimmie Johnson on the very top of the NASCAR Legends Mountain
While Jimmie Johnson is ranked behind Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty in the ‘Who is the best seven-timer of the three’ list by most, for Jeff Gordon, Johnson is the very best. He claimed in a 2020 interview with AZCentral that the former #48 driver was indeed the best driver he’s ever raced against.
“I raced against (Johnson) in the same equipment and got beat,” Gordon said. “I feel like I’ve raced against some of the best. Maybe not Richard Petty (Gordon’s first race was Petty’s last), but Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart.”
“To me, Jimmie is the best of all of them. I never felt like he got the credit he deserved.”
So it goes without saying that for a young NASCAR fan or an aspiring racecar driver, there simply cannot be a better example, a better role model to look up to than Jimmie Johnson. That man has done it all and won it all and done it while earning the respect and the love of those he won it all against.
