HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Two days before he attempts to wrap up a historic fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, Jimmie Johnson has announced a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that will keep the champ driving the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet through the 2015 season."It's the only car I've ever driven,'' Johnson said with a smile Friday morning. "I'm very proud of that.''
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His proud team owner Rick Hendrick sat next to Johnson to proudly make the announcement.
"This has been a fantastic ride with Jimmie,'' Hendrick said. "He and I have said we'd like to retire together.''
"It's a huge, huge, huge deal for both of us. But we feel really good about it. Lowe's has always been really extremely good in their incentives. They like to win and Jimmie and Chad (crew chief Chad Knaus) have delivered.''
Hendrick also addressed the future of four-time champion Jeff Gordon, who has a lifetime contract with the team.
"As long as he drives in Cup , he's going to drive our car,'' Hendrick said. "I'm hoping he's going to drive a bunch of more years. We know it's going to be at least three or four, so we're excited about that.''
"You know Jimmie and I try to look at a lifetime deal, but I couldn't borrow enough money to make it work,'' he added with a smile.
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
good guy could be goat of nascar in a few more years
You have to give that man credit for what he and the 48 team have done together and i'm talking about Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus and the entire 48 stable of employees
Yeah I'll give them credit, this is the first year they didn't get caught cheating.
junior,
the 48 and 5 were caught with illegal shocks after Long was caught with an illegal engine (that he bought from Hendricks).. Nascar told them to be careful or there would be penalies.
Fred
If NASCAR was still under the old point system, Gordon would have 6 titles, and Johnson 1 (not including 2009). If your a Johnson fan the Chase is great. Why have 36 races, when only 10 count.
Congrats Jimmy and Chad, another job well done for Rick............As for the rest of you whinning cry babbies (and I'm sure there will be more after Sunday).....if your favorite driver(s) would do their job the first 26 races you'd be doing alot less crying over the last 10. Maybe you should all look at the drivers complete stats for the season (Wins, top 5's top 10's, laps raced, laps led etc.........then try and tell me the Lowe's Team doesn't deserve to be where they are now.
Nascar is phony just like wrestling.Its rigged to make sure Chevies always win the Cup.
as long as chevy is winning everything is quiet and hunky dory. remember back about 15 years ago when ford was kicking butt and chevy was crying so they were always at the wind tunnel or on the engine dyno,nothing has changed back in the 60's chevy couldn't run with the boss fords and the hemi mopars so what did chevy do in stead of designins a more power full motor they cried and complained.
who said nice guys finished last go jj.
I hope this cheat fixed scumbag wrecks or blows the engine in the first 5 laps so martin can win the championship. Lets all pray against the 48.
Yes Go Mark,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Jimmy and Jeff need to take a LONG Break and forget the way back give the other Drivers a chance to get,,,,, False,,,,, caution flags etc. just to say they win Yippeee You got it Its some what a rigged deal
GO Mark .... I agree
Some people crack me up!! If it was the driver they like 4 in a row would be FANTASTIC! I'm a NASCAR fan, Newman is the driver I root for, #48 is going to be hard to beat as that team has this format figured out. Why can't the other 42 teams do it? I don't know, but until one of them figures it out, Johnson will keep winning championships. Oh Yeh---they all cheat as much as they can. I hope some team figures out how to beat #48 next year - I am tired of Jimmie Johnson!
GET RAY BACK AND WATCH JEFF GO
I would fire Jimmie and give Jeff a decent crew that would get the job done fast. Jimmie is not a team player. If Jeff or Mark Martin in not winning I cheer for anyone other than Jimmie Johnson.
Wrascar is what it is and is being run by Rick The Briber (CONVICTED) Hendrick. if you dont beleive that then you live in fantasy land. Johnson caught cheating last year no points deducted, Carl Edwards losses an oil cap and is fined and points deducted. now which is most severe blatantly get caught cheating slap on the wrist, questionable whether Carl and his team knew the oil cap was missing which by the way is no advantage if it is missing and they are sent to the injection table. Not counting the misterious debris cautions just when is an advantage for a Hendrick car. Plus he owns Stewart/Haas team just a way to sliparound the mandated number of teams one can field.
dude.. what are you talking about.. the 48 was fined 100 points along with the 24
Roush Raceing was doing that when Mark Martin drove for him years ago, Mark was the listed owner of the 6 car so you need to try something else. The reason the other teams want Hendrick stuff is because it's simply the best. Why you think Tony went back to a Chevrolet. If I was going to start a race team or anyone else with half a brain it would be Hendrick Motor Sports stuff under me or my guy's.
As a long time Hendrick's Chevy fan, & Jeff Gordon being my favorite among those, it's good to see another Championship under their belt. I truly wish & hope some miracle can happen because Mark Martin is the most deserving driver out there to win a Cup...this will be his what?..6th runner up if I'm correct.
I'm not saying this will happen, but I have a gut feeling if JJ wins this again, Rick is going to make some changes and put Chad Knaus to the #88 of Dale Jr to get them up to par and be more competitive. It's business as usual and we'll see in 2010.
SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU KEVIN BUT THE REALITY IS ;
NO CREW CHIEF IS GOING TO TURN DEJ INTO A REAL SKILLED DRIVER.EARNHARDT88SUCKS AS ALWAYS DID AND IS TALENTLESS AND FINISHED. BY SEASON END 2010 HE IS GETTING KICKED OUT OF HMS AND SCALED BACK TO THE ARCA OR NASCAR LOVER EAST SERIES.