When the name Jimmie Johnson pops on a table discussing NASCAR, it is his incredible feats in the Cup Series that take the spotlight. The 7 championships and 83 victory lane visits that pillar the brand of Hendrick Motorsports are no mean feat to achieve. But what often goes unnoticed is his career in the Xfinity Series.
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Every superstar in NASCAR climbs a certain ladder to reach the top tier of racing. The one that Johnson climbed began by racing stock cars on the American Speed Association’s (ASA) national tour. He drove full-time for Herzog Motorsports over two seasons (1998 and 1999), during which he got the chance to drive in the Xfinity Series.
Herzog Motorsports had sublet its overtly large racing garage on the grounds of Joe Gibbs Racing to ST Motorsports (later known as JTG Daughterty Racing) back then. Courtesy of this rental arrangement, ST Motorsports featured Johnson in a few Xfinity Series races in 1998. Holding the rope thrown to him tight, Johnson impressed the right people and Herzog Motorsports decided to enter the second tier of NASCAR full-time in 2000.
At the end of the 2000 season, Johnson finished 10th in the standings and also won Rookie of the Year honors. But he was still without a win in the show. By then, he had already caught the eye of Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. In 2001, Johnson would send a louder voice across NASCAR with his maiden Xfinity win coming at the Chicago Speedway.
Starting the race in 6th place, Johnson got the better of Joe Nemechek, Mike Skinner, and Jeff Burton to claim his victory. The win would be his first and only win in Xfinity. The year also saw him run in a handful of Cup Series races for Hendrick Motorsports.
Had it not been for his quick move to the final tier the very next season in 2002, Xfinity would have very well seen yet another champion.
When Jimmie Johnson went to Jeff Gordon for career advice while driving in the Xfinity Series
Johnson mentioned in an NBC Sports report how he’d stalked Gordon before a Michigan race in 2000 and tried getting his attention to help him out of a tricky spot. Herzog Motorsports had given up on Johnson’s Cup Series dreams, claiming that they couldn’t find a sponsor for him.
The team knew of his caliber and had asked him to put the word out that he was available to drive for others. But all the options that came to him meant parting ways with Chevrolet. And that was something Johnson had not wanted to do. End of the day, it was Gordon who gave him a way out.
After a brief explanation of the situation, Gordon had told Johnson, “Man, you’re not going to believe this, but (Hendrick Motorsports) is looking to start a fourth team and the only name that has come up is yours. So we might be able to fix your problem altogether.”
And the rest is history.
