One of the many traditions in stock car racing is the champion’s journal, started by seven-time champion of the sport, Jimmie Johnson. What started as an idea from the former Hendrick Motorsports driver turned into a yearly tradition as NASCAR crowns a champion each season. Ryan Blaney became a part of the same elite group in 2023.
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The Team Penske driver got hold of the journal after clinching the 2023 championship from the previous year’s title holder and teammate Joey Logano. Despite having to hand it back to the #22 driver at the end of 2024, the #12 Ford Mustang driver kept quiet about its contents. Gianna Tulio, the Ohio native’s wife also does not know about the journal’s contents, claims Blaney.
“The Champions Journal is something that, you know, a driver started, you know, over a decade ago and all the champions write in it. Each year it gets handed off to the next champion and the next champion. It was a fantastic chance. Only champions get to read,” said the 2023 champ.
He added, “I haven’t shown it even to Gianna because it is a closed-eyes-only thing. It’s like the President’s Book in ‘National Treasure 2’. I kind of relate it to that. I try to put it on that level. So I’m Nick Cage in ‘National Treasure’. No, it is a cool tradition and I’m excited to hand it off.”
The journal’s contents feature opinions from stock car racing greats such as Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Logano, not to mention Blaney and Jimmie Johnson themselves. It certainly would be a dream come true for a fan if they were to gain access to it. However, it is unlikely to happen soon, with Blaney at least not letting the cat out of the bag.
“It’s an extremely special book”
Kyle Larson’s description of the journal further paints a hallowed picture of the championship tradition that continues to this day. “It’s something that’s so special that you want to read it once when you get it and once again before I give it to the next guy. I hope I can win other championships down the road to see what’s been passed on since me,” exclaimed the 2021 Cup Series champion.
The sport’s most recent champion, Logano echoed his fellow competitor’s thoughts and said, “That’s the best part about this is that nobody even really knows what it is. Nobody knows … what’s written in it.”
With the 2025 season approaching in a little over a month with the exhibition-style Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, it remains to be seen which driver receives the journal next year.
