Jimmie Johnson's postseason celebrations continue with Champion's Week
.jpg "Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson flipped the switch on the Empire State Building in New York City last week as part of the postseason activities honoring his 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup title. (Mike Stobe / Getty Images for NASCAR")
The colors of Jimmie Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team are lit up in the Empire State Building in New York City as part of a day celebrating his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. // Mike Stobe, Getty Images for NASCAR
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The postseason celebration of Jimmie Johnson’s 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship begins today with a weeklong schedule of activities culminating with the Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony Friday night in Las Vegas.
Johnson won a record-setting fourth straight title and gave Hendrick Motorsports its 12th NASCAR crown with a strong 2009 season in which he won seven races and four poles.
Now, the 34-year-old driver is to be honored in a series of activities in recognition of his achievement.
Here’s a look at Johnson’s schedule this week:
• Monday – Johnson will visit a student assembly at Crest Elementary School, where he attended in his hometown of El Cajon, Calif. There, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation will award grants to 11 San Diego-area schools. Johnson will then host an interactive fan fest for United States Marines and their families at Camp Pendleton, Calif., from 3-7 p.m. local time, followed by a homecoming celebration at a Lowe’s store at 9416 Mission Gorge Road in Santee, Calif., from 7-10 p.m. local time.
• Tuesday – Johnson will host a fan appreciation breakfast and champion’s question-and-answer session from 10 a.m.-noon local time at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The event is open to 700 of the track’s invited guests.
• Wednesday – The champion’s Las Vegas celebration begins at 10 a.m. local time with the Chasers for Charity Fanfest at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Neon Garage. The free-admission portion of the event includes a red-carpet walk by the champion and other drivers in the 2009 Chase For The Sprint Cup, car displays, live music, reduced-price concessions and a raffle drawing. A charity roast of Johnson will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the speedway’s Blackjack Club and is open to the first 300 people who respond (information is available at www.lvms.com). A $250 tax-deductible donation to Speedway Children’s Charities includes a private reception with Johnson and Chase participants, plus reserved seats and parking. The event will be shown on closed-circuit television in the Neon Garage.
• Thursday – The annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards event will be held from 1-2:45 p.m. local time in the Venetian Showroom at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. Johnson will be joined by the rest of the top 12 drivers in the 2009 Chase, plus Raybestos Rookie of the Year Joey Logano and other annual award winners. Fans can watch Johnson and fellow Chase drivers participate in a victory lap parade in their show cars on Las Vegas Boulevard – the city’s legendary “Strip” – beginning at 3:15 p.m. at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Singer/entertainer Wayne Newton will drop the green flag to start the event. The lap includes a pit stop and burnout at the Spring Mountain Road intersection before returning to the MGM Grand at 4 p.m.
• Friday – Johnson will formally accept his championship awards. Johnson, along with his family and team, will participate in traditional photos during the afternoon, before attending the awards ceremony that evening at Wynn’s Las Vegas. Speed will televise the event live from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. EST, and the event will be re-aired at its conclusion.
