AVONDALE, Ariz. –Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will square off next weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., with the liveries of rival superheroes Superman and Batman prominently displayed on the hoods of their cars.
As part of a promotion for the film “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet will feature the large, unmistakable Superman “S” in the primary sponsorship position. Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevy features Batman above the primary sponsor Nationwide Insurance’s logo.
The choice of Johnson as Superman is appropriate. During his run of five straight championship from 2006 through 2010, he earned that very nickname.
“I didn’t have a say, but I was very happy to end up with Superman,” Johnson said on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. “I think Mark Martin called me that years ago, and some have used that reference in a nickname from time to time.
“I feel like it was much more fitting than Batman. Superman is going to kick Batman’s butt—bottom line.”
Earnhardt may have something to say about Johnson’s assertion. The association with Batman has been serendipitous for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ perennial most popular driver.
When Earnhardt drove a Batman-themed car promoting “The Dark Knight Rises” at Michigan in 2012, he broke a 143-race drought, winning for the first time since 2008.
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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