Long distances don’t scare Jimmie Johnson.
It doesn’t matter whether he’s running a triathlon or driving a 3,300-lb. stock car at upwards of 200 mph, he enjoys both, and is pretty good at both.
Though most NASCAR fans know how adept Johnson is at piloting a race car through the banked turns at the 23 tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, some may not be aware of his success away from the tracks.
He’s competed in several triathlons and half-marathons. As a matter of fact he competed in an Olympic-distance triathlon (0.93-mile swim/24.8-mile cycle/6.2-mile run) in Palm Springs, Calif., last December where he finished first in his age group and eighth overall. On Feb. 17 of this year, he along with several other drivers participated in Daytona Beach’s half-marathon (13.1 miles). He competed in the race shortly after finishing the Sprint Showdown
Therefore, it’s no surprise that endurance races such as Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6:00 p.m. ET, FOX) at Charlotte Motor Speedway are right up his alley. In fact, the training he does to prepare for the triathlons and half-marathons might provide him with an advantage over his competitors at the speedways.
“It all helps for sure from the physical side. I think the mental side of not feeling good and being uncomfortable for long periods of time is good,” said Johnson, who currently leads Carl Edwards in the standings by 44 points. “I feel like I’m a lot smarter now with nutrition and hydration than I was. My body is programmed to live in that environment and deal with those things.”
Johnson has experienced great success in NASCAR’s longest race having won the 600-mile event in three consecutive years (2003-2005). In addition, he finished second in 2006. In 11 Coca-Cola 600 starts, he has also compiled four top fives, six top 10s and two poles to go along with a driver rating of 108.1. In last year’s race, he finished 11th, one lap down.
The high banks of the 1.5-mile track located in Concord, N.C., have always been welcoming to Johnson, who has won six points-paying events in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series there. Add to that total his record four victories in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the most recent coming last Saturday night when he pocketed a cool $1 million.
In 23 points races at Charlotte, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s and three poles. His average driver rating at the track is an impressive series-leading 111.7, four points higher than the next driver. The California native has led 1,439 laps here, third most among all NASCAR Sprint Cup tracks behind Martinsville and Dover.
Over the past eight years, since NASCAR has been collecting loop data, Johnson has the best average starting position (6.2) and average running position (7.9) among active drivers at Charlotte. In addition, he has the best passing differential (205) with the fewest times passed (962) during green-flag racing. He has also logged the highest amount of fastest laps (544) and completed more laps at the track in the top 15 (4,932), almost 400 laps more than the driver with the second-most top-15 laps.
This year, Johnson is currently on pace to capture his sixth title after taking a two-year hiatus from celebrating on the championship stage in Homestead. After the first 11 races, he has only finished outside the top 12 once (22nd in Bristol). He won the season-opening Daytona 500, over Dale Earnhardt Jr., and five races later found Victory Lane again at Martinsville. He has an average finishing position of 6.7 in 2013 with six top fives and eight top 10s.
If Johnson is able to continue on this trajectory through the remainder of the season, it is quite possible that he and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team will be the ones hoisting the championship trophy at season’s end. He would also be the first driver to win the title in the new Generation 6 race car, which has received rave reviews so far.
Johnson is just one of many who have sung the car’s praises.
“I think it’s proven to be a fun car to drive, a reliable car,” said Johnson. “The car has been very durable, very fun to drive and fast.”
Regardless of whether or not Johnson is positioned atop the standings in November, look for a very formidable performance and strong race car this weekend at Charlotte.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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