Alright ladies, this weeks WHOA winner is a quick one. A quick racer that is! I would like to introduce to you, the young, handsome, NASCAR stud, Jimmie Johnson!
Johnson is on his way to making history this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He has won the Sprint Cup Championship the past 3 years [the second driver to do so, behind Cale Yarborough ('76, '77, '78)] and plans to make it a 4th, this Sunday. This year during his race for the Cup, Johnson has placed 1st in 3 regular season races and 4 post season races. But those aren't his only wins.
Johnson was a winner ever since childhood. He started racing motorcycles at the age of 5 and by the time he was 8 he won his first race. Not long after, he tried racing on four wheels, competing in 3 different leagues and obtaining 25 wins, 6 championships, and 100 top 3 finishes. Pretty impressive for a youngin.
He made his way to the professional scene in 1998, entering the American Speed Association circuit and 3 events in the NASCAR Busch Series. By 2000 he was a full time driver in the NASCAR Busch Series. Not short after, Johnson came to a dilemma when Herzog Motorsports (owner of his car) lost their sponsorship. Johnson was in a predicament. But luckily he came across Jeff Gordon at a race and decided to ask him for some advice; probably one of the smartest decisions of his career. Gordon hooked him up with Hendrick Motorsports and they agreed to offer him a deal that would help develop him as a racer.
In his rookie year Johnson finished in the top 10 of 21 races and had 3 wins. He was runner up of the Rookie of the Year Award, and did not win because its based off of wins not total points. But this was only the beginning of his progressing career.
He won 4 races in 2003, 8 in 2004, 5 in 2005, 6 in 2006, 9 in 2007, and 7 in 2008. Bottom line... Johnson is a winner. But that is not all Johnson is.
He started his own foundation called the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. The foundation is aimed to help further the dreams of other charitable organizations such as Make-A-Wish the American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity. Who doesn't want a smokin' hott winner who wants to help their fellow people?
Now-a-days the California native lives in North Carolina enjoying his life with wife, Chandra (Janway). He just signed a deal with HBO for a show called "24/7" that will follow him to show his personality outside of the car (Lowes #48). It will run from January until the Daytona 500 in February, so make sure you catch this hunk on air!
Thanks for chiming in and make sure you stop by next week to read about the next WHOA winner!
