Jimmie Johnson looks back on joining Dale Earnhardt & Richard Petty’s NASCAR achievement 

Jimmie Johnson recently reflected on a defining moment in his illustrious career. The Hall of Famer looked back at the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series where he was crowned the champion, solidifying his legacy in the sport.

At the 2016 Ford EcoBoost 400, Johnson started at P14, piloting the #48 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports. Skillfully navigating through a crowded field, he climbed to P2 just before the race went into overtime. During the overtime restart, he seized the lead from Kyle Larson and secured victory in the final playoff race. This triumph, his fifth of the season, clinched Johnson his seventh championship title.

The 48-year-old recently revisited the historic moment that made him only the third NASCAR driver to win seven championships, joining the likes of legends Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. Johnson took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a clip of his victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway and wrote:

"A night that put me in rare company."

Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson secured 83 Cup race wins in 19 full-time seasons in NASCAR's top division. He is also a four-time All-Star race winner and has secured wins at the prestigious Daytona 500 and the Southern 500 crown jewel events.

Earlier this year, Johnson announced his return to the Cup Series. He is driving the #84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, a team he co-owns with Maury Gallagher, CEO of Allegiant Travel Company. Johnson's last race was at NASCAR's return to the historic Indianapolis Oval on July 21, where he retired early due to an on-track incident.

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"It’s a tough sport" - Jimmie Johnson on ownership struggles amid crew chief shake-up

Co-owner of Cup Series team Legacy Motor Club, Jimmie Johnson recently shed light on the struggles of managing a team while competing part-time in the division.

Johnson and his former crew chief Jason Burdett worked together on six races this year but only managed P28 as their best finish. After the disappointment at Indianapolis, Legacy Motor Club announced that they would part ways with Burdett.

In an interview with IndyStar at IMS, Johnson weighed in on the situation at Legacy Motor Club, saying:

“I didn’t think it would be this tough. It’s a tough sport, and we have a great vision and have made a massive commitment to that long-term vision, so we’re on the journey."

“But I thought last year, we were kinda at the bottom — and then we went down a little lower and found a lower bottom. I do think we’re climbing our way out now, but there’s just so much that goes into it, and we’re getting the pieces in place and moving it along," Johnson added.

Jimmie Johnson will compete in three more races this season, starting with the playoff race at Kansas Speedway. It will be followed by the South Point 400 in Las Vegas and the final race of the 2024 season at Phoenix Raceway.