History-making Jimmie Johnson lauded at Sprint Cup awards ceremony
Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson speaks at Friday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup awards ceremony where he was honored as the 2009 series champion. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
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LAS VEGAS – It was a good thing that the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony was in Las Vegas on Friday night and not New York, where it had been every year since 1981.
That’s because if the event was in New York, some of the drivers might not have known what year it was as they looked on stage and saw Jimmie Johnson. After all, the 34-year-old driver has won four consecutive Cup titles, a feat never done in the sport’s history.
Johnson was awarded a check for $6.6 million by Sprint for winning the championship as part of the ceremony at Wynn Las Vegas.
“What more could be said that wasn’t said last year … or the year before, or the year before?” said Jeff Gordon, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate who needed seven years to capture his four crowns. “Unbelievable guys. Extremely impressive. Congratulations.”
Among those on stage were team owner Rick Hendrick and crew chief Chad Knaus and in the crowd were about 240 Hendrick employees.
“I just don’t know what to say,” said Hendrick, who was honored with the Bill France Award of Excellence. “Man, four in a row. I stood up after [the 48 team’s] second championship and said, ‘You’re setting a new standard.’ Two years later, competing at the highest possible level every single week, you’re constantly raising the bar.
“When someone isn’t there to challenge you, you find a way to challenge yourselves. Those are the marks of a true champion. Now you officially are the standard.”
For his part in the banquet, Johnson showed he had been there before. He rattled through his sponsors and thank yous. He mentioned last year’s banquet when Cale Yarborough, the only other driver to have won three consecutive titles, greeted him on stage.
“Cale Yarborough, one of my heroes, threatened me not to win a fourth,” Johnson said. “So Cale, I’m sorry buddy. I went off and did it. I’m very proud of this accomplishment. … It is such an amazing experience.”
Johnson teammate Mark Martin delivered a speech that he had done before – he has finished second in the standings five times in his career – but one with an incredible amount of passion.
“Jimmie Johnson – man you sure know how to steal a guy’s thunder, don’t you?” Martin said with a laugh. “Congratulations, man. You really work hard at it and you are so incredible. You are going to get the credit you deserve one day.”
A few drivers gave Johnson and Knaus the utmost credit – Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Newman told Johnson: “Jimmie, congratulations. Chad, Rick Hendrick, all you guys, awesome job – hope you enjoy your retirement” and even others chimed in that maybe Johnson should just hang it up.
“I’ll be willing to give my half [of my team] as a little bit of a donation to get Jimmie to retire or at least take a vacation for five or 10 years,” said Tony Stewart, the 2002 and 2005 champion. “Let it be known that I am the last guy not named Jimmie Johnson to sit at the head table. That’s something to be proud of.”
Johnson captured four of his season-best seven wins during the 10-race Chase For The Sprint Cup.
“I’ve been here for three years and you keep kicking our butt,” said Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Juan Pablo Montoya, who left Formula One to go stock-car racing. “It’s great to see you here, but it [stinks]. … What you have done every year is freaking incredible. Honestly, it’s amazing.”
Like Montoya, some drivers have only attended a banquet where Johnson won the title.
“First, I’ve got to acknowledge people at the front table and luckily for me, I have notes compiled from ’06, ’07, ’08,” Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin said.
In addition to Johnson’s fourth consecutive title, another feat of note was Hendrick drivers finishing first, second and third in the standings.
“Rick, to finish 1-2-3 in the standings is remarkable,” Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch said. “It makes us feel like finishing fourth in the Sprint Cup standings that we’re first in class.”
The banquet also had light moments with comedians Frank Caliendo, John Pinette and Terry Fator, and included musical performers Brooks and Dunn, David Gray and Escala. It also was the first banquet with fans – 300 of them who won tickets from tracks or teams or sponsors. The fans cheered for their favorite drivers and were thanked by all the drivers on stage.
“It’s great to have our fans part of this,” NASCAR Chairman Brian France said.
France also congratulated the four-time champion.
“Champ, I told you in South Florida [after the season finale], ‘Welcome to history,’” France said. “We’re very proud of you.”
Johnson indicated he wanted to make more history: “It took three [titles] to win four. We’ve won four, so maybe we can [win] five. That’s what I’m going to try to do.”
That remark wasn’t meant to be brash at all. He was just letting everyone know that he’s a competitor.
“To hear these great remarks from people I respect so much and work with and compete against in this sport means the world to me,” Johnson said. “I’ve always wanted your respect for the effort I put in and the hard work I put in for my sport. To receive this tonight and over the last three or four years has been just amazing.
“I’ve spent the majority of my life being a mid-packer and kind of the underdog, so being here with four consecutive championships is pretty damn cool. So I’m enjoying this.”
