“He said it belonged to me” - When Dale Earnhardt Jr. received a checkered flag from Jimmie Johnson after finishing fourth

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. once received a checkered flag from his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson despite not winning the race. That moment was pure class from seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

It happened at the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway in 2011. Dale Jr. finished fourth while Johnson clinched the victory that day. After the race, Dale Jr. walked over to congratulate his teammate following his pit road interview.

Johnson gave Dale Jr. the checkered flag in a gesture of respect and friendship. The #48 HMS driver also invited Dale Jr. to join them in the Victory Lane celebration.

Explaining why Johnson handed him the checkered flag, Dale Jr. said (via ESPN):

“He said it belonged to me, but I don't agree with that. I appreciate it. I'll get him to sign it, and it'll be one checkered flag that ain't mine.”

In the closing laps, Johnson got help from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s push, squeezing low to their teammate Jeff Gordon’s #24 inside. A brush between Dale Jr. and Mark Martin killed Martin's momentum, and Johnson was able to take the advantage ahead of hard-charging Clint Bowyer and Gordon to cross the finish line in P1.

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Jimmie Johnson reflects in his gesture to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Former NASCAR champion Johnson’s gesture reflected a heartfelt moment of sportsmanship and camaraderie between him and fan favorite Dale Jr. Johnson later described why he offered the checkered flag to Dale Jr., who had helped him to achieve victory.

“Just came to mind. I handed it to him, and he said, 'Man, I don't want that.' I said, 'Well, I've got to give you something for the push and working with me,'" Johnson said, as quoted by ESPN.

When Dale Jr. declined to take it, Johnson insisted humorously, offering not only the checkered flag but also the trophy as a gesture of gratitude.

“He said, 'No, that's what teammates do.' I smiled and said, 'Take the damn flag. I'll give you the trophy, too." Johnson added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson together have won several races for Hendrick Motorsports. Both drivers ended their careers as two of the greatest NASCAR drivers.

Dale Jr. wrapped up his NASCAR career with 50 wins and 356 top-10 finishes, including two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships, while Johnson finished his career with 84 wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships.