Jimmie Johnson’s Unstoppable Rise to Glory at Hendrick Motorsports Unveiled

In a career spanning 22 years and 700 races, Jimmie Johnson has solidified his name as one of the all-time greats in motorsports history. With seven Cup Series championships and 83 wins under his belt, his journey at Hendrick Motorsports has been nothing short of legendary.

What sets Johnson apart from the rest? The answer lies in his unwavering partnership with the mastermind behind his success, Chad Knaus. As Johnson reminisces about his early days at Hendrick Motorsports, he credits Knaus as the driving force that propelled him to greatness.

Their collaboration was nothing short of extraordinary, clinching an unprecedented five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010, followed by two more. Johnson attributes his success not only to Knaus but also to the core group of individuals who stood by his side throughout his illustrious career.

Despite their undeniable chemistry and track record of victories, Johnson and Knaus faced a bittersweet separation when team dynamics took a toll on their relationship. However, their story came full circle when they were both enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame together, sealing their legacy in the annals of racing history.

As Johnson embarks on a new chapter in IndyCar, his bond with Knaus remains unbreakable, transcending beyond the confines of the racetrack. Their enduring friendship serves as a testament to the indelible mark they have left on the sport.

The tale of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus is not just a story of wins and championships but a narrative of resilience, camaraderie, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Their legacy will continue to inspire generations of racing enthusiasts for years to come.

LONG POND, Pa. — Eight of the top 10 staters in today’s Cup race at Pocono Raceway have not won this season, making today’s race one that could potentially alter the playoff standings.

Ten races remain in the regular season, including today’s event before the playoffs begin.

While Denny Hamlin, a three-time winner this season, has the pole, Chris Buescher, who holds the final playoff spot, starts second.

Others without a win this season starting in the top 10 today are: Carson Hocevar (starting third), John Hunter Nemechek (fourth), Cole Custer (fifth), Chase Briscoe (sixth), Ty Gibbs (seventh), Tyler Reddick (eighth) and Daniel Suarez (10th).

Buescher, Briscoe and Reddick enter today’s race in a playoff spot.

The 160-lap event will set the seedings for the In-Season Challenge.

Go further into the field and 15 of the top 18 qualifiers have not won this season. That includes Erik Jones (starting 11th), Ryan Preece (13th), Brad Keselowski (14th), Zane Smith (15th), Austin Dillon (16th), Noah Gragson (17th) and Chase Elliott (18th).

Here is what else to watch for in today’s race (2 p.m. ET on Prime):

Differing strategies

Teams will be able to pit at Pocono without losing a lap provided they are no more than about 12 seconds behind the leader. That means those further behind likely will have to use a different strategy.

The back half of the field will be worth keeping an eye on.

William Byron had the fastest car in practice and wrecked in qualifying. The team was repairing the car with work to be finished this morning.

Bubba Wallace had a starter issue and didn’t even make a lap in qualifying. He’ll also be at the rear when the green flag waves. He enters the race 57 points above the cutline but starting this deep might keep him from scoring points in the first stage. He ranks sixth in the series in stage points.

“I don’t think you can get to panicked about it, you can’t change it,” said Denny Hamlin, co-owner of Wallace’s 23XI Racing car, about the possibility of Wallace not getting points in the first stage. “If you are Bubba Wallace it’s not something you did. I’m confident it’s not something the team did, it’s just one of those mechanical things where the anvil fell on your this time. It happens to others as well.

“It’s very easy for drivers and teams to get down about their bad luck, but everyone has it and usually washes itself out over time. I think they are running fast enough to be a playoff car and a lot of that is going to depend on who jumps up on the wild card races over the next 10 weeks, but I feel confident the 23 team will be a part of it.”

Denny Hamlin scored his 44th career Cup pole.

Another strategy to watch will be if anyone tries a three-stop strategy. Most teams pitted four times in last year’s race. Austin Cindric’s team pitted three times but finished 18th.

“We had a caution every time that I was on a tire disadvantage last year,” Cindric said. “ … I’m not sure it’s going to discourage us from, maybe not necessarily that strategy, but from going and trying to make up spots.”

Can Chase Elliott build momentum?

Chase Elliott seeks to score back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time since late March and early April at Martinsville and Darlington.

Elliott is coming off a third-place finish at Mexico. Although he is on a 43-race winless drought, he’s been consistent enough to rank fourth in the points this season.

Cliff Daniels said he was ready to park Kyle Larson when they could gain no other positions in the finishing order.

So with 16 of 36 races run, has this been a good season for Elliott?

“That is a good question,” Elliott said. “Good? Sure, but it’s not where I want to be no doubt.

“I think for us there have been some high spots and to be honest, there have been weeks where we have run well where we have had a good finish… and I can go home and be like, ‘Man, we were in the mix, and we had good pace today.’

“… It’s the days and weekends where we are just not even relevant that I think are the most frustrating to me. We have had more of those than I would want to have and that we would want to have as a team.

“So, I think it’s been good but not satisfactory for myself or to our team, but there is still a lot of racing left in the season, and I think we have ourselves in a position to make a mediocre day alright. We can build from it, and we still have a chance.”

Denny’s unique double

Denny Hamlin seeks to score his second consecutive win of the season with a catch.

He won at Michigan, skipped the race in Mexico City for the birth of his son, and will look to win at Pocono — where his seven wins here make him the track’s all-time winningest driver.

The wait finally is over for Caio Collet.

Collet passed championship leader Dennis Hauger with less than five laps remaining and drove away to win the Grand Prix of Road America on Sunday, his first INDY NXT by Firestone victory this season. Collet’s No. 76 HMD Motorsports car crossed the finish line 1.7093 seconds ahead of Hauger’s No. 28 Nammo car fielded by Andretti Global.

SEE: Race Results

2024 series Rookie of the Year Collet entered this event with three podium finishes in the first six races this season, including two runner-up finishes. His victory was the first this season for HMD Motorsports, as Hauger and fellow Andretti Global rookie teammate Lochie Hughes have combined to win every race.

“At the beginning of the season, we couldn’t match them, to be honest,” Collet said. “It was really frustrating. Every time we went on track, it was hard to be second or third. But we kept working hard, and we need to keep working because they are a great team with great drivers. We need to keep pushing.”

Hughes rounded out the podium finishers in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car after passing Josh Pierson in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports machine on the last of 20 laps around the 14-turn, 4.014-mile circuit. Pierson ended up tying his career-best finish of fourth.

Myles Rowe placed fifth in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car in the caution-free race.

Hauger led from the pole on an unseasonably hot day with air temperatures in the high 80s. Collet stayed close from the second starting position, keeping the gap around five- or six-tenths of a second as the duo marched away from the rest of the 19-car field.

Collet’s patience expired on Lap 16. He drove alongside Hauger on the long front straightway and made an outside pass in Turn 1 stick. Collet then eased away from Hauger over the last four laps.

“I kept up the pace, kept up the pressure,” Collet said. “Yesterday, I think I lost the pole to myself. Dennis did a phenomenal lap, but I think I left a bit in the tank and was very frustrated. Today I really wanted to give the win to the team.”

Said Hauger: “I think we’ve been on the back foot compared to Collet all weekend. We did everything right today, but they were just a bit stronger. I tried to do what I could, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Still a decent weekend.”

Hauger’s lead over second-place Hughes grew from 19 to 28 points with his fifth podium finish of the season. Collet is third, 70 points behind Hauger.

The next race is the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio on Sunday, July 6 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. It’s good track for Collet, who earned his sole previous INDY NXT victory there in July 2024. 

IndyNXT PR

Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET start. Weather, however, is threatening to delay the start of the race.

Pocono is currently asking fans to remain sheltered as the continued threat of a thunderstorm looms: “WEATHER UPDATE: There is a continued threat of a thunderstorm, including lightning, for this area. Please remain sheltered. Fan Stage and Victory Lane Stage Q&A Sessions are canceled. Stay tuned for more updates.”

According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, the rain would need to stop by 12:30 p.m. for NASCAR to have a shot at starting the race on time. Pocono does not have lights and rain tires aren’t available. Pockrass projects the rain would need to cease by 3:00 p.m. to be able to race.

Obviously, NASCAR will come back and likely race Monday afternoon if the weather persists. But there’s a sold out crowd on site, ready to see the 17th Cup Series race of the season. This, “The Tricky Triangle,” is a big one. Including Pocono, only nine regular season races remain.

NASCAR heads to Pocono as playoffs approach

Ten drivers have clinched a spot in the postseason. Six spots are up for grabs. Will there be another surprise winner at Pocono? We saw one last week, as Shane van Gisbergen dominated the field at Mexico City.

But this is Pocono — Denny Hamlin‘s track. No, it’s not his hometown, but nobody has been better than Hamlin at Pocono. He has seven career victories at Pocono and his performance has been consistent throughout the different generations of cars.

Wouldn’t you know it, he’s on the pole for Sunday’s race. Hamlin is looking for his Cup best fourth win of the 2025 season.

700 races, seven Cup Series championships, and 83 Victory Lane visits in 22 years. Jimmie Johnson’s journey with Hendrick Motorsports is the type of legend that little children go to sleep hearing with a wondrous glint in their eyes. But it ought not to be forgotten that his tale would not have become what it is if not for a loyal friend, companion, and crew chief in Chad Knaus.

When Johnson signed with Rick Hendrick’s organization, he was poised to be their fourth driver. He mentioned in a recent conversation with Before The Lights that the No. 48 team was already filled with the energy of young talent and ambition before he made it in. And once he walked through the doors, that energy only went up through the roof.

Johnson said, “Whatever energy or vibe was there, we created it. There was so much ownership in it, and man, we did so much in a short period of time.” He continued to explain that a core group of people had surrounded him throughout his career, and the continual relationship he had with them is the biggest reason for his success.

The most important of them all is Knaus. Knaus and Johnson worked together as driver and crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports. They won five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010, and two more after that. Johnson looked back at their time together and could only be grateful to the man for everything he’d done.

“But there’s one man that really led the team for all that (time we were together),” he said, referring to Knaus. “17 of my 19 full-time years, and he’s like a — I guess I have two younger brothers — he’s like a fourth or third brother to me.” Despite their success together and Johnson’s tryst with continuity, he couldn’t end his career with Knaus as his crew chief.

He added, “Unfortunately, we got to a point where we spent more time fighting, and our team owner had to say, ‘Alright. Enough of you guys. I’m going to have to separate you.’ I wish we could have made it those final two years together before I moved on to IndyCar. But people and consistency have been the bottom line for my success.”

The pain of separation was healed when they were both inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame together as a part of the Class of 2024. It was the perfect culmination of their long and storied partnership in the Cup Series. They remain close friends to this day.

LONG POND, Pa. — (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR’s most popular crew chief.

He’s certainly an undefeated one.

Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway.

“It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,” Earnhardt said. “And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.”

Earnhardt — who won NASCAR’s most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville.

Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday.

“Lot of fun for me today,” Earnhardt said. “I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don’t get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn’t really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.”

Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad’s arms.

“I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.”

The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut.

Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall.

His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International.

Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops.

“Midway through the race man, I was feeling it,” Earnhardt said.

Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second.

“Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,” Zilisch said. “Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.”

Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt.

“I don’t know that I see myself doing it again,” he said.

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