Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson oftentimes said during his racing career how much he marveled at team owner Rick Hendrick and how Hendrick built one of the most successful operations in stock car racing, making it look easy.
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Now, with his racing days all but behind him and having moved into the role of co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, Johnson is experiencing firsthand just how difficult a job Hendrick had — and continues to have.
Johnson recently took time to appear on Business of Sport, a London-based online show that speaks with some of the biggest movers and shakers in the sports world around the globe. Johnson moved his family to live in London in 2023 and, ironically, studios for Business of Sport are located literally across the street from where Johnson, his wife and their daughters reside.
When Johnson became a co-owner of LMC, he thought his past experience as a championship-winning driver would make his new role a piece of cake.
“Just how much damn work it is,” Johnson quipped when asked what has been the biggest change for him since becoming a team owner. “As an athlete, I had the best job with the least amount of hours required and the biggest pay. I’m an idiot. I didn’t have a real job for 49 years of my life, and now I have a f****** job.”
Now, Johnson has an increased workload, decreased pay, and increased time required to be successful as a team owner.
“I’m an idiot – but I love it,” Johnson said with a laugh.
Being tied with the legendary Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most NASCAR Cup championships – seven for each – one would think Johnson could cruise through life once he bought into the LMC operation.
Boy, would that be wrong.
“I’m trying to find my way in that space (workload as an owner),” Johnson said. “I felt like with my years as a driver, I’d be very focused on the competition department of our racing operations.”
If you want a job done well, you have to do it yourself, says Johnson
Johnson readily admits that LMC’s “biggest problem has been revenue. And as I learned in that experience finding Carvana, if I make a phone call, I can get to a C-staff (top-level) person in one or two calls. If I have our sales team do it, they’re going to land in the middle of somewhere, and who knows if we ever get there.”
“So, from a revenue standpoint on the business side of the house, that’s where I’ve spent all my time. I’ve not spent time where I thought I would, and it’s been much more about flying to places and being with people.”
“In-person is way better than being on the phone or Zoom, but just constantly working the lines, emails, texts, phone calls, flying somewhere, face-to-face, building relationships.”
It almost makes one wonder if given the chance, would Johnson climb back in a race car, even at his advanced age of 49 years. It sure as heck would be easier than the job he has now.
But like he said, he may be an idiot, but he loves what he’s doing now, nonetheless.
