"I was making more money than my parents at 16" - When Jimmie Johnson shared how his parents' hard work shaped his drive for success

Jimmie Johnson once shared he was making more money than his parents even before becoming an adult. Speaking with Graham Bensinger in 2022, Johnson recalled his humble beginnings where his parents worked hard to give him a better life.

Johnson is a former NASCAR driver who drove for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series. His rookie year in the premier series was in 2002 at age 26, and he went on to win seven championship titles, tying the all-time record with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Growing up, the California native had lived a simple life. His father ran the service department of a motorcycle shop, while his mother drove a bus. He shared how his parents used to wake up early and work countless hours, yet were able to give him time and support his racing career.

After years of hard work in the racing world, Jimmie Johnson was making more money than his parents at the age of 16.

“When I was officially a professional race car driver, I was then informed that I was making more money than my parents at 16,” Johnson said. [7:02]

Graham Bensinger chimed in and asked if he saw the financial situation at the time. Johnson replied:

“I didn’t. Anything we wanted, we had and we were very simple-minded. We just wanted to ride our dirt bikes, and then in the summer go play on the water and lakes and rivers.” [7:11]

Jimmie Johnson also spoke about growing up in a not-so-fancy house where he was built a small room in the garage after his younger brother was born. In his spare time, he would work on the vehicles in the garage with his father.

The former Hendrick Motorsports star concluded by saying he was replicating how his parents raised him for his two daughters he shares with his wife Chandra Janway.

Today, the 49-year-old driver is a co-owner of the Legacy Motor Club, a NASCAR Cup Series team fielding Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek in Toyota Camrys. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the seven-time champ is worth $160 million.

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Jimmie Johnson will return on track with new “Desert Sunrise” paint scheme

Jimmie Johnson expressed excitement about returning on track in the No. 84 LMC car featuring a “Desert Sunrise” paint scheme courtesy of Carvana Racing. The livery was finalized through a design contest won by Ben Moore.

The car design is set for Phoenix Raceway, paying homage to the Arizona state, Grand Canyon, and the Sonoran sunrise.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Johnson congratulated the fan for the design and wrote:

“Congratulations, Ben! This is a great-looking scheme. I can’t wait to run it in Phoenix.”

So far this season, Jimmie Johnson has yet to secure a good finish as a part-time driver for his team. His best finish in points-paying races was P28, which he recorded at Daytona International Speedway and Dover Motor Speedway.

The Phoenix stop where Johnson will run the “Desert Sunrise” paint scheme will be the final race of the season. The Championship 4 race will be held on November 10.