Jimmie Johnson Career Highlights
Through the 2008 season, in 255 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, Johnson's record includes: 40 wins, 19 poles, 101 top-five and 156 top-10 finishes.
2008
- Earned his third consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship, joining Cale Yarborough as the only two drivers in NASCAR’s 60-year history to do so
- Notched seven wins, a career-high six pole awards, 15 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes
- Victories included: two races at Phoenix, Indianapolis, California, Richmond, Kansas and Martinsville
- Five of his seven wins were won from the pole: Indianapolis, California, Kansas, Martinsville and Phoenix (Nov.)
- Only driver to win at least three races in each of his first seven full-time seasons
- Has won 14 “Chase” races since its inception in 2004, eight more than his closest competitor
- Moved to third-place among active drivers on NASCAR’s all-time wins list. Is 15th on overall list after just 255 events
- Voted Driver of the Year for the third consecutive year
2007
- Captured a second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship
- Recorded 10 victories, four pole awards, 20 top-five, and 24 top-10 finishes
- Victories included: two races at Richmond, Atlanta, and Martinsville plus Las Vegas, California, Texas and Phoenix
- Won 11 of the 40 “Chase” races since its inception in 2004
- Averaged 5.0 finish in the 2007 “Chase” – the best “Chase” ever
- Moved career victory total to 33 – tied for18th most all time (Fireball Roberts)
- Competed in only 219 races
- Voted Driver of the Year for second consecutive year
2006
- Captured the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship
- Recorded five victories, one pole, 13 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes
- Victories included NASCAR's two most prestigious races- Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 (the second driver to win both in a single season); as well as Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway and the Sprint All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway
- Only four other driver in NASCAR's history have won the Daytona 500 and the championship in the same season; Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty (3x) and Lee Petty
- Tied for the best start in NASCAR history with two wins and a second-place finish in the first three races
- Earned 20th victory in his 150th race- only Jeff Gordon got his 20th victory in fewer races (125)
- Lead the point standings for 25 of 36 weeks
- Concluded season ranked sixth in NASCAR history for number of consecutive weeks (105) in the top 10 in the NASCAR point standings (streak began at Atlanta in March 2004)
- Only driver (in the modern era) to win at least 3 races in each of his first five full-time seasons.
- Voted Driver of the Year
2005
- Finished fifth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
- Lead the point standings for 17 weeks during the season
- Visited victory lane four times; Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway (2x), Dover Downs
- Amassed one pole, 13 top-five and 22 top-ten finishes
- Swept both events at a track (Lowe's Motor Speedway) for the fourth consecutive year
- Only driver ranked in the top 10 in point standings after every race during the season (streak began at Atlanta in March 2004)
2004
- Capped off season with a second-place finish in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
- Visited victory lane 8 times, the most of any driver
- Notched 20 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes and led 24 races for a total of 1,312 (the most of any driver for the 2004 season)
- For the third consecutive year swept both events at a track (twice in the season-Pocono and Darlington)
2003
- Finished the season second in the Sprint Cup points standings with three wins (Lowe's Motor Speedway and twice at New Hampshire International Raceway), 14 top-fives, 20 top-10s and two poles (Pocono and Kansas)
- Won All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway
- Finished the season 9th on the all-time list for consecutive weeks (69) ranked in the top-10 in points.
2002
- Notched three victories in rookie campaign - twice at Dover Downs and once at California Speedway; the first rookie in series history to sweep both races at a track
- Along with the three wins, compiled six top-five and 21 top-10 finishes
- Fastest qualifier four times - Daytona 500, Talladega Superspeedway(spring), Lowe's Motor Speedway (spring), and Richmond International Raceway(fall)
- First rookie in the history to lead in the point standings
2001
- Made first NASCAR Sprint Cup appearance - qualified 15th and finished 39th on Oct. 7 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
- Qualified 30th and finished 25th on Nov. 11 at Homestead Miami Speedway
- Posted his first career NASCAR Nationwide Series win at the inaugural race at Chicagoland Speedway, finished eighth in final point standings
2000
- Finished 10th in the Nationwide Series point standings and third in the battle for Rookie of the Year
- Best finish of sixth (three times) at South Boston Speedway (6/10), Michigan International Speedway (8/15), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (11/11)
- Recorded best Nationwide Series start (fourth) at Darlington Raceway (9/2)
1999
- Started five Nationwide Series races - The Milwaukee Mile, North Carolina Speedway, Memphis Motorsports Park, Phoenix International Raceway and Homestead Miami Speedway
- Earned a seventh-place finish in the first Nationwide Series start at The Milwaukee Mile (7/4)
- Finished third in the American Speed Association's (ASA) national championship point race
- Captured ASA wins at Memphis Motorsports Park (6/12) and Orange County Speedway (10/12)
1998
- Started three Nationwide Series races - Indianapolis Raceway Park, Gateway International Raceway, and Homestead Miami Speedway
- Finished fourth in the ASA national championship point race during his first full season
- Named ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie of the Year