"Your buddy is now your enemy" - When Jimmie Johnson reflected on his difficult rivalry with Jeff Gordon

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson once reflected on his intense rivalry with fellow Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon during their time at Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson said that going toe-to-toe with his friend changed the teammate dynamics, especially when both were fiercely competing for titles.

Gordon played a pivotal role in recruiting Johnson to drive the #48 entry when Rick Hendrick's team expanded to a four-car operation in 2002. Johnson quickly made his mark in the Cup Series, learning from his mentor while setting the stage for his dominant championship run from 2006 to 2010.

In a 2021 interview with Graham Bensinger, Jimmie Johnson reflected on his dynamic relationship with Jeff Gordon. He acknowledged that while they were good friends off the track, once the helmets went on, they were fierce rivals. Johnson described the rivalry as teammates "taking food off each other's tables."

"He was such a mentor to me, inside and out of the car. The business side of going racing, was something I didn't have a lot of exposure to. Then the competition side creeps in and now I'm racing him for wins, racing him for championships. That's always the toughest part as teammates. You might like someone but on Sundays you have to put the helmet on and go to work. Your buddy is now, in a sense your enemy and he's taking food off the table from you." [from 2:20]

Driving for a premier organization, Johnson and Gordon traded wins but it was the former who clinched the titles, sweeping five consecutive championships between 2006-10. The seven-time champion stated that their on-track battles grew tense during this period.

"We had some tense moments in our competing years, especially when you get to, probably '07-'08, when I'd won a championship or two. In '08 or '09 we literally, it was just between Jeff and I fighting for the championship... We starting leaning on each other, bumping each other."

"It's hard to not want to beat your teammate, especially when you're both fighting for wins week in and week out. The tension that comes with that is pretty intense."

Despite the rivalry, the two drivers shared a good relationship off the track, as Johnson reminisced about the many trips they took together over the years, exploring the world.

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Jimmie Johnson reflects on first interaction with Jeff Gordon

Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion, grew up as a Jeff Gordon fan, admiring the driver who had taken NASCAR by storm a decade before his Cup Series debut. When Johnson was running out of opportunities in the Busch Series, he turned to Gordon for advice.

"I was pounding on doors trying to make something happen, and all of my opportunites meant leaving Chevrolet. Jeff left Ford to Chevrolet and had this amazing career. I felt like he had the answer," he said.

Unbeknownst to Jimmie Johnson, he had already made an strong impression on Gordon. Late Ricky Hendrick also lobbied in Johnson's favor, which played a crucial role in him getting the fourth ride at HMS. Johnson said about his first interaction with Gordon:

"When I go to leave the transporter, Jeff stops me and says, 'you're not going to believe this but I know who you are. We have been talking about you internally for a while. And we've been talking about starting a fourth team at Hendrick, and your name is the only name that's come up. Don't get too excited, but we might have a solution to your problems.'"

Jimmie Johnson was announced as a Henrick Motorsports driver on September 22, 2000.