“Jimmie was very fortunate”: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s take on Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus & the duo’s NASCAR domination

Former Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. heaped praises on seven-time Cup championship-winning pair Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, calling the duo the best pairing the sport has ever seen.

Johnson and Knaus were recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, comprising the class of 2024, along with Donnie Allison. Janet Guthrie, a pioneering driver in the sport was honored with the Landmark Award, during the induction weekend.

Welcoming Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus to the Hall of Fame, his former teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. stated that Johnson was very fortunate to have driven the #48 Chevy with Knaus atop the pit box. He added that every driver in the field was envious of the pairing (via hendrickmotorsports.com):

"They were the best pairing of crew chief and driver that has ever been in this sport. I know there are some pretty compelling arguments for Dale Inman and Richard Petty, guys like that."

"Any driver in the field would have loved to have worked with Chad (Knaus). Every driver in the field would have loved to have known what his approach was and some of the things he was doing to make his cars work. Jimmie (Johnson) was a very fortunate guy to be able to be behind the wheel of that race car and he went out there and got the job done."

NHOF Class of 2024 Blue Jacket Ceremony

Chad Knaus joined Hendrick Motorsports in 1993 and won two championships working under Ray Evernham and Jeff Gordon, as a tire changer for the #24 team. After a brief stint with other teams, he returned to HMS in 2002, joining forces with rookie Jimmie Johnson.

The former #48 crew chief's meticulous effort and Jimmie Johnson's talent formed an unstoppable force and went on to dominate NASCAR's premier series winning five consecutive titles between 2006 and 2010.

Despite alterations in the format, their winning streak continued as Johnson racked up two more titles in 2013 and 2016. The duo won 81 races together between 2002 and 2018 before parting ways.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. calls Jimmie Johnson a 'big asset' to the sport

Jimmie Johnson continues to make an impact on NASCAR even after retirement, as the co-owner of Cup Series outfit Legacy Motor Club.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. credited Johnson's non-controversial personality and reckons the seven-time champion's continued presence as a team owner and part-time driver is a big asset for the sport.

"Jimmie went out there and got the job done and he was great, non-controversial, didn’t make mistakes off of the race track, had a great personality and did a great job all the way through and is still today, a big asset to the industry and a big asset to the sport as an owner and behind the wheel," Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Fox Sports.

Jimmie Johnson will be behind the wheel of his #84 Toyota for nine outings in the 2024 Cup Series season.