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Jimmie Johnson
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James Kenneth "Jimmie" Johnson born September 17th, 1975 in El Cajon, California is a current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race car driver. He drives the # 48 Lowe's Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and Chevrolet Impala SS owned by his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Rick Hendrick's ‘Hendrick Motor sports’. He also served as a field reporter for ESPN in the SODA series. "Jimmie" Johnson attended Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California near San Diego. He went to the same high school as friend and current San Diego Padres second baseman Marcus Giles.
"Jimmie" Johnson began his racing career on 50cc motorcycles at the age of five. Three years later, at age eight, little "Jimmie" won the 60cc class championship despite his knee injuries at several races during the season. After having achieved successes on motorcycle racings at an early age, Johnson switched over to four wheelers. He then competed in several off-road leagues including SODA, SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group. He raced with Herzog Motorsports in the 1996 and 1997 SODA series.
In 1998, Johnson joined the American Speed Association (ASA) circuit. He finished fourth in the season and won Rookie of the Year honors. He raced in the NASCAR Busch Series in the same year driving in three events. He continued driving in 1999 running in both the ASA and the Busch Series, winning twice and finishing third in the ASA point race. By 2000, Johnson became a Busch Series driver with Herzog Motorsports and finished 10th in the points standings and third in the Rookie of the Year standings.
"Jimmy" Johnson has an impressive career record as a race car driver. He accumulated over 25 wins; 100 top-three finishes; six championships; and received Rookie of the Year honors in all three leagues. He further holds the record at Lowe's Motor Speedway with four straight wins and five total point race wins at the track.
Johnson became the first rookie in the Cup series to sweep both races at a track and eventually became the first rookie ever to lead in the point standings; and to date "Jimmie" is the only rookie to have ever achieved the feat. Since his rookie season Johnson ranks second among all active drivers with an average of 4.5 wins a season right behind Jeff Gordon, who leads with an average of 5.6 wins a season. Johnson was also placed second in average top 10 finishes a season with 21.25, while Tony Stewart leads with 21.28.
Johnson won his only Busch Series race in 2001 at the Hills Brothers Coffee 300 at Chicagoland Speedway in his 81 series events. He has also achieved the distinction of being in the top five in the standings in his first five full seasons. He finished second twice in 2003 and 2004 NEXTEL Cup points. In 2006, Johnson added another feather in his cap by winning NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship; Daytona 500; Allstate 400 at the Brickyard; and won all the three Coca-Cola 600s in a row.
Jimmie Johnson is considered by many fans as one of most outstanding and talented NASCAR drivers in the country.
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