Benchmarks in NASCAR do not get higher than Jimmie Johnson. The seven-time Cup Series champion is an idol for every youngster dreaming of being a professional race car driver someday. At the end of 2020, he broke the hearts of many by announcing his retirement from full-time racing. He reasoned his decision in a recent interview.
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He and his wife, Chandra Janway, have two children. Genevieve was born on July 7, 2010, and Lydia was born on September 6, 2013. It was the anchoring hold that this little family had on him that forced him to leave the car for good.
Speaking to the Business of Sport about it, he noted that the lot’s ability to travel changed a lot after Genevieve enrolled in school.
Not being at the track with him regularly had caused a strain at home. Johnson himself wasn’t fond of running around the country without his wife and kids by his side. He said, “I was like, ‘You know what? I’ve accomplished what I’ve wanted to. I’ve chased eight for a period of time. I want to be with my family.'”
For the major part of his career, his wife had been a great sport when it came to accommodating his racing schedule into her life. She runs her art studio in North Carolina and is an accomplished woman in her own right. But things got a tad bit trickier when Genevieve and Lydia arrived. Johnson ended up prioritizing them of his own heart over his racing career.
How Johnson’s daughters became car designers in 2024
Although he has retired from full-time racing, Johnson still participates in races occasionally. Last year, he returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to take part in the Brickyard 400. In celebration of Father’s Day Weekend, Genevieve and Lydia designed a unique and heartfelt paint scheme for his No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Camry XSE.
The quirky design incorporated everything that Johnson loved and other funny elements. The kids told the press, “It was a lot of trial and error, but we are so excited to see our designs at the race. It was really fun for us to combine colors and patterns that remind us of Dad’s racing world and some of our favorite memories with him.”
Johnson was understandably moved by the gesture. He stressed that their creativity and vision would keep him inspired throughout the race. His fans around the world were in love with the paint scheme as well.
