Team 48 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
NEWS & NOTES
The Jimmie Johnson Foundation launched the 2011 Helmet of Hope program in Kansas on June 3 and announced the American Red Cross would be the first charity to be featured on the helmet and to receive a grant of $10,000. The American Red Cross was selected by the Johnsons to help raise awareness of disaster relief efforts in the wake of the recent tornados across the country.
Last week in Kentucky, Johnson drew to more charities to adorn the Helmet of Hope: Rutledge Wood of SPEED and Top Gear USA on the History Channel nominated Victory Junction, which was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son, Adam, while Nicole Pearson of Matthews, N.C. nominated Make-A-Wish Central and Western N.C. Chapter.
The Helmet of Hope allows fans and media members across the country the opportunity to nominate their charity of choice to be featured on Jimmie Johnson’s race helmet for the Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway in Sept. In addition, each selected charity will receive a $10,000 grant.
A total of 12 charities will be selected to be featured on the one-of-a-kind helmet – six chosen from fan and six by media submissions.
Visit www.HelmetOfHope.org to nominate a charity. Jimmie will select two charities each week concluding with the New Hampshire Motor Speedway event in July.
JOHNSON TO ATTEND ESPYS IN LOS ANGELES
Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to attend the ESPYS Wednesday evening. Johnson is nominated for Best Male Athlete and Best Driver and also will be a presenter at the event. The show will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
RACE NOTES
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
. Johnson has made 18 Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he has three wins, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
. Johnson has completed 98.7% (5205 of 5273) of competition laps at the 1.058-mile track and has led 297.
. He has an average start and finish of 9.9 and 9.9.
Chassis
. Johnson finished eighth in primary chassis No. 590 at Richmond in April 2011.
. Backup chassis No. 540 finished third at Phoenix in February 2011.
JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTE
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE NOMINATED AND ON STAGE AT THE ESPY AWARDS?:
“It means a ton to me. With winning the AP Athlete of the Year honor and then with the Forbes honor earlier this year, to be recognized amongst the whole sporting world, I think it’s a huge feather in my cap and then also our sport. Very honored to be up again for Male Athlete of the Year and then also Driver of the Year – both honors are extremely important to me. I’ve been fortunate to win Driver of the Year in the past and hope to do it again. If Athlete of the Year took place then it would send a huge message to the sporting world. Again, just honored to be nominated and look forward to going out there next week. Be fun to go to L.A., it will add a lot of travel and work to the schedule, but something I am very excited to go do.”
DO YOU THINK THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON?:
“I don’t know. This year has been very tough to predict. I don’t know. I kind of see more of the same from my opinion. We see more teams sorting their stuff out and Penske is the perfect example of it. The start of the year, things weren’t working well for them and now they’re there. It seems to be more crowded up top then it’s ever been. I would predict it’s more difficult – and every year that goes by its more difficult for someone to dominate and I think that’s what’s so special about what the 48 has done over the last five years. It’s just a tough, tough environment and this year is another step tougher, more difficult.”
SPRINT CUP SERIES CAREER NOTES
Career Wins
. Johnson has 54 wins in his Sprint Cup Series career, his most recent coming at Talladega Superspeedway on April 17, 2011.
. The El Cajon, Calif.-native is currently tied with Lee Petty for ninth on NASCAR’s all-time wins list, one victory behind Rusty Wallace.
. He is second in total wins among active drivers, behind Jeff Gordon (82).
. Johnson needed only 296 starts to hit the 50 mark. Only three drivers have reached 50 victories quicker – Gordon (232), Darrell Waltrip (278) and David Pearson (293).
. Johnson has won at least three Cup races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first eight full-time seasons.
. Johnson has won Sprint Cup Series races at all but four (Michigan, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Homestead) of the 22 tracks on which the series competes.
. Johnson’s 10 wins in 2007 was the highest number recorded in a single season since Jeff Gordon posted 13 victories in 1998.
. The four-consecutive wins scored by the No. 48 team in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ties a modern-era NASCAR record.
Career Poles
. Johnson has collected 25 poles in his Sprint Cup career.
. The championship driver has earned at least one pole a year since his first full-time season in 2002.
. He had a career-high six poles in 2008.
. Johnson’s most recent pole position was at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 24, 2010.
Career Starts
. Johnson has finished in the top five in the Sprint Cup Series point standings each year since his first full season in 2002.
. Johnson is the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup every year since the format was adopted in 2004.
. In 345 Sprint Cup Series starts, Johnson has posted 140 top-five and 214 top-10 finishes.
. He has a top-five finish at every track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.
. Johnson has led a total of 11,470 laps (of 99,496) in his Sprint Cup career, covering over 133,513 miles.
. He has finished on the lead lap 268 times.
Career Recognition
. Johnson was named by Forbes as the Most Influential Athlete in 2011.
. In 2009, Johnson became the first race car driver to be named Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in its 78-year history.
. Voted Driver of the Year four times in his career (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010), Johnson joins Jeff Gordon as four-time winners of the prestigious award.
. Johnson has won an ESPY for Best Driver three times, in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
