By Michael Heilman

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson announced on his Twitter account that he is retiring from NASCAR after the 2020 season. Johnson said, “I’m so thankful for 18 incredible years of racing in NASCAR,” Johnson continued speaking, “The sport has been good to me. It has allowed me to do something I truly love. I showed up chasing a dream and achieved more than I ever thought possible. I’m looking forward to next season and celebrating what will be my last year as a full-time NASCAR Cup driver. I know what this team is capable of, and I hope 2020 is one of the best yet.”

Johnson started his racing career at four years old racing motorcycles. He then raced off-road trucks in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group, Short-course Off-Road Drivers Association, and SCORE International. He won Rookie of the Year in all three off-road racing series. In 1998, he started racing stock cars in the American Speed Association in late model touring cars and won rookie of the year.

Johnson’s first NASCAR race was at the 1998 Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park for Herzog Motorsports. Johnson’s Xfinity Series career resulted in two poles, twenty-four top-ten finishes, and one win at Chicagoland Speedway in 2001. Johnson left Herzog Motorsports after the 2001 season and joined Hendrick Motorsports, and the rest was history.

Johnson’s first win with Hendrick Motorsports came at the 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 in Fontana, CA. Johnson has started 651 races with 227 top-five finishes, 364 top-ten finishes, 36 poles, and 83 career wins, including winning the Daytona 500 and Southern 500 two times, Brickyard 400 and Coca-Cola 600 four-time. His last win came at the 2017 AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway. He also won seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, then known as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 2006-10, 2013, and 2016 tied with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the most titles won in NASCAR history. There is no question that Jimmie Johnson is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He will go down as one of the best drivers in the 2000s and 2010s decade.