The RACER.com Guest Mailbag with Jimmie Johnson

He's a former Short-course Off-road Drivers Association (SODA) rookie of the year, was classified 104th in the 2008 Truck Series points, registered a sub-3h10m finish at the Boston Marathon in 2019, and once lent his voice to an animated lobster for an episode of Bubble Guppies. And during his downtime, he has earned seven NASCAR Cup titles and 83 race wins. Welcome to the RACER.com Guest Mailbag, Jimmie Johnson.

While his achievements place him among NASCAR's all-time greats, Johnson's focus is very much on what lies ahead. The pandemic has stalled his farewell season as a Cup full-timer, but flirty glances towards IndyCar and other forms of racing reinforce that he's approaching the end of a chapter, rather than the end of a career.

Thanks to everyone who sent questions in, and we're grateful to Jimmie for taking the time to answer them. 

If you missed the previous Guest Mailbags with Mario Andretti and the Haas Formula 1 team, you can catch up on those here:

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Q: I love watching you race; you are my all-time favorite driver. I come to the 600 every May. The very first Roval race I was at… didn’t like it as much. What is your favorite track, and what are your thoughts about the Roval? Wish you all the best on your last year.

Felicia Miconi

JIMMIE JOHNSON: Hi Felicia – Thank you for your kind words! Glad to hear you are such a dedicated fan. If you come to the 600 make sure to stop at the Hendrick Motorsports campus – it’s really close to Charlotte Motor Speedway. I like Charlotte and the Roval was so much fun, but I am really partial to Dover and Martinsville. I love racing at both of them, they suit my driving style and we really have had a ton of success there.

Q: I wondered if many people remember your save during qualifying for Dover 2006? It’s when I realized you really are one of the best NASCAR drivers ever. I typed your name and “D-O-“ into YouTube, and up it came. How about a look back?

Richard Dettman in Vancouver, BC

J.J.: Thanks. It involved some luck. I kept my hands and feet busy trying to save it, and seemed to help – that was a hell of a save, and I still don’t know how I didn’t tear up that racecar. That YouTube clip makes me laugh, with Jeff Gordon giving me a “10”. I was really lucky that day.

Q: With you expressing interest in IndyCar and racing after your full-time NASCAR days are over, do you have any plans to return to the desert and run the 1000, the Mint or Parker? Dakar?  We would love to see you in a Mason AWD showing the kids what seven-time can do.

Thanks, Chip

J.J.: Chip - For sure, I would really like to go back to my roots and get dirty again.

Q: I’ve known about you since starting to get PR releases from your off-road days, and commented that “he’s a real racer” when you got on the roof of the car at Watkins Glen after going straight off Turn 1. What can you tell us about the Sports Car Club of America drivers’ school at Summit Point? I understand you were ’scolded’ by the stewards or instructors for driving over your head, yet setting new class records (Spec Miata?) about every session.

John Davison

J.J.: John- I had a blast and really enjoyed my first laps ever on pavement at SP. I didn’t know the SCCA rules since this was my first time at one of their events, and failed the classroom portion. After two good days on track they asked me to retake the classroom portion… I passed the second time, and was told I was only the second person to ever earn my license in the first weekend. Boris Said was the first.

Teammates? Rivals? Friends? For Johnson and Jeff Gordon, the correct answer is: all of the above. LeSieur/Motorsport Images

Q: Will we see you in the desert during NASCAR retirement? Particularly the 1000?

Eric, Ione, Ca

J.J.: Eric - Nothing is off the table at this point!

Q: Hey Jimmie, this is Gavin from Indiana. I know when we have talked we talked about the championships and stuff like that, but something I’ve always wanted to ask is what is the most meaningful thing that has ever been said to you, that you believe has changed you as a person for the better?

Thanks, Gavin Newton

J.J.: Gavin - I’m all about a positive energy exchange… I love those interactions as they feel good and make everyone smile. There are probably too many to describe.

Q: I know you like open-wheel race cars. You've driven a Formula 1 car and will try an IndyCar, but how do you feel about Formula E, and would you consider driving one?

Greetings from Germany!

Miran

J.J.: Miran - I’m wide open to anything that’s safe and fun.

Q: First, I have to say what an honor it is to be one of your dedicated fans, and to say thank-you for so many special memories. Now to my question. You have had a lot of awesome teammates. What teammate has angered you most in a race, what did they do, and how long did it take you to let it go?

Sincerely, Rita Hudson

J.J.: Rita - Jeff Gordon and I were so competitive with each other as time went on. We did push each other to be better, but that did come with some heated moments. Being teammates sometimes complicates things, but it’s business and you leave it on the track. Thankfully we both respect each other so much, everything was always OK.

Q: Will we see you racing a somewhat unfamiliar 48 on a road course on the 4th of July?

Your biggest fan,

Ryan Wells

J.J.: Ryan - Will there be racing in July? Ha ha! Who knows!

Q: Once you retire at the end of the year, will you be racing a Pro 2 or Pro 4 in short course off-road racing in 2021? Will he run the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series out west, or the new Championship Off Road series in the Midwest in 2021? Will you race Baja, or any desert race again? Do he have an interest in running Dakar? And do you ever drive the old MTEG stadium super-lite you have?

Thank you for your time,

Austin Dvorak, Carlsbad, California

J.J.: Hi Austin - 2021 might not work with some of the other cars I’m trying to race in right now, but yes, I want to get back to my off-road roots as well in the future.

Q: I am always wondering, what is the motivation for a driver to push forward after winning everything? We have several examples like you - Hamilton, Ogier, Marquez etc.

On the other side there are guys like Alonso, Loeb, Montoya, who won many things, but after that they tried something else (with different results). In my opinion, it's not to late for you to start IndyCar or sportscars. Do you have any clear plan to continue racing after Cup?

We know that the Triple Crown of motorsport includes the Monaco GP, the Indy 500 and Le Mans. What races are your favorites for "mini Triple Crown"?

Kuba Dradrach, Wroclaw, Poland

J.J.: Kuba - I want to travel the world with my family, and drive race cars… If I can find a way to do both, I would be living the retirement dream. It’s more about good, safe equipment, and having fun as I look forward. I’m not worried about the stats, but marquee events would be a priority if there were options for me.

Q: If you could race a past race car driver one-on-one, with both of your in your primes, who would be the other driver, what type of racing/car, and what course? If you could have first class equipment and crew, which one racing series would you most like to try: IndyCar, Off-Road, NHRA, or World Of Outlaws?

Brad from Powder Springs

J.J.: Brad - I was so close to racing against Dale and missed it by a few months and didn’t get that chance, so I would pick him. I’ve been looking at IndyCar lately, so I guess I would pick that today.

Now that he mentions it, a door-to-door battle between Earnhardt and Johnson would have been pretty cool. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: How much does momentum affect you within a race, a season, or even a career? I just re-watched the 2019 Indy 500 and Alexander Rossi turned a bad pit stop into a charge forward, but there are also races where you see someone have a slow stop and they are off the pace afterward. You also see seasons where it just seems a driver can’t get any momentum, and will go from fighting for the championship one year to fighting to be in the top 10 or 15 the next.

Finally, I wonder if a change in momentum can have an affect on an entire career. Could Marco Andretti or J.R. Hildebrand have had different careers if the last laps of their first Indy 500’s hadn’t gone south? Would AJ Allmendinger have been an Indy legend if he had stuck with IndyCar instead of going to NASCAR? I never know if things like that are down to overall skill and career path, or can big moments take away momentum and have a lasting affect on a career?

Max Camposano, Menlo Park, California

J.J.: Max - There are so many variables in racing, heck, in life for that matter. It’s hard to say about your examples above, but I do know they are all badass racers with skill. Every driver is motivated differently, and every driver handles themselves differently outside of the car. Those traits affect things greatly in one’s career, as you can imagine. Really good question, man.

Q: If and when it finally gets going, 2020 will be your 19th season in Cup. With 36 points races a year, plus the couple of non-points races, you guys have the longest season in sports. Are there just too many races? How on earth do you maintain focus and motivation over so many races for so many seasons? You’ve chosen to retire while you’re still a competitive proposition, but how much did sheer burnout play a part?

Freddie Asquith, Portland, Oregon

J.J.: Freddie – It’s for sure a long season. There used to be a lot more than that. I’ve raced for 19 seasons and my family has supported me every step of the way, it’s just time for me to be able to travel with them, do the things I would like to do on my bucket list – and for my kids to have their Dad home on the weekends to spend time with them. Outside of the races there are lots of obligations, so it’s a year-round grind. I’m not retiring, this is just my last full-time season. I have a lot of racing left in me.

Q: Sad to see you leaving NASCAR full-time, and not sure who I’ll be cheering for next season. (My wife says it has to be Chase, but we’ll talk that through...) Can you cheer me up a little by telling me I’ll still see you competing in the Daytona 500, or at least in a few Cup races that hit the spot for you?

Ramsey Brown, Cedar City, Utah

J.J.: Hey Ramsey - I’m open to a limited NASCAR Cup schedule if the right opportunity comes up. I’m not done competing, that is for sure.

Q: I know you love to go cycling and keep fit. Me too. So how does it help you as a driver, both physically and mentally, to be so fit? How physical are NASCAR stock cars to drive? What’s tougher – 600 miles around Charlotte or an afternoon at the Glen?

Thank you for so many great seasons!

Anna Diaz, Colorado Springs, Colorado

J.J.: Hi Anna – another great question. I’m going to go with both! The 600 is a long race and can be mentally taxing on you for sure, going from day to night, tough on setups. The Glen is a beast too – you have to wheel your car and it’s such tight racing. So both have their own challenges.

Q: Just wanted to ask you about your fellow seven-timers. Did you know much about Earnhardt as a kid? What did you think of him as a racer? How special is it to be in the same club as him and the King? And how much do you think the sport of NASCAR owes to those guys for being where it is today?

Sarah Lewandowski, Tuscon, Arizona

J.J.: Hi Sarah – great questions. I had a ton of respect for Earnhardt as a kid and did see him race a few times. It’s an honor to have the seven titles like them, but there will never be another Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty. The era they raced in was so tough, and their championships are nothing short of incredible. We for sure owe them a ton of kudos for paving the way.

Q: Hello Jimmie. I love hearing the thoughts of former Cup drivers on the TV broadcasts, especially guys like Junior and Jeff Gordon with more recent experience. Makes me appreciate my favorite sport in the same way Tony Romo does the rest of my year in my other sport. My question to you is will we see you in the booth any time soon? Hope so but not to spoil any other plans you might have brewing.

Go 48!

Chuck Schneider, Madison, Wisconsin

J.J.: Hi Chuck – I am not ruling out the TV booth down the road, but right now it’s not in my immediate plans, especially to the level of Dale Jr. and Jeff for sure.

Q: One track, one racing car, and enough fuel and tires to send you dizzy for the day. Where would it be and what would it be in? Any era you want, of course.

Richard Prime, Worksop, UK

J.J: Wow. That is a tough one. I would say Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in an F1 car.

Now we just have to get him to Spa. Image via Hendrick Motorsports

Q: I miss watching Smoke, Junior, Jeff Gordon – heck, I sometimes even miss Carl Edwards – and I’ll definitely miss watching you every weekend. I know I’ve still got Kyle to boo and Harvick to cheer, but do you think the new young drivers are going to capture the imagination of us fans the same way that you all did, or has NASCAR got a bit of a personality vacuum?

Thanks for some great memories,

Christine Vega, Roanoke, Virginia

J.J.: Hi Christine – There are a lot of talented young guys coming up right now. Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman are my teammates and have great personalities and bright futures ahead. You also can’t go wrong with a Clint Bowyer for a good laugh or two. Thanks for being a fan all these years!

Q: Do you still sometimes hear Chad Knaus shouting at you in your dreams? 17 years is a long time to have the same person in your ear! Now onto my semi-serious question. All of the speculation about your retirement plans has been about what you’re going to race in next. I’d like to know what you plan to do away from racing. Are there things you’re looking forward to that you haven’t been able to explore before because the Cup schedule is so crazy? Have you discovered any new hobbies with this unexpected downtime we’ve all got?

Thanks for answering our letters, it’s been a pleasure to watch you for all these years.

Chris from Bakersfield

J.J.: Hi Chris – the answer is I will never get Knaus out of my head. 17 years is a long time to get yelled at! Ha ha! Seriously though, we are better friends now than ever, and you can’t deny the success we had together. Its something I will always cherish. With the downtime, I have no plans yet, which us actually the great part. We are going to travel and I hope to race at least some sort of limited schedule. I have a few bucket list items I want to check off but the main focus will be on my family, spending time with my girls and just figuring out what is next. All I have done is raced for the last 30 or so years, so the future is really exciting.

Q: You’ve won seven championships, 83 victories, and a ton of other awards and recognitions over the years. It’s an amazing record, but I can’t help but wonder what on earth you do with all of that silverware? Some of those winner’s trophies are huge!

Shaun, KS

J.J.: Yes, they are huge. I have a warehouse that is big man cave. I have cars in there, bikes, trophies and an old fashioned bar. We do this content series called “The Archives” on my social channels, and sometimes talk about the items that I keep in that warehouse.