Welcome back to another episode of Racin’ With The Boys. This week we have an absolute legend in the sport and 7-time champion, Jimmie Johnson. The boys immediately dive into Jimmie’s start into racing and how he went from 2 wheels with dirt bikes to 4 wheel with stock cars. He shares his story of how he got his shot and talks about how much luck truly goes into finding a ride/sponsor.

The guys then into Jimmie’s racing career and his relationship with his crew chief, Chad Knaus. Jimmie talks about why they worked so well together and what all went into him winning those 7 championships. He also shares what the journey was like going from underdog to then becoming a champion. He says how him and Chad still had that underdog mentality even after winning two championships and it didn’t go away until he won the third.

Jimmie dives into how he felt Jeff Gordon was his biggest rival and how he, in a way, looked up to Jeff when he got his start in NASCAR. He also talks about the different stresses that go on now being an owner vs when he was only a driver. Jimmie gets into the differences between this new 7th gen car compared to the older generation cars that he was used to driving and dominating. Finally the boys end the pod with Jimmie giving his Mount Rushmore of drivers which you aren’t going to want to miss. Enjoy hearing an absolute legend talk about the sport he dominated for so long.

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⏰ Timestamp Chapters: 

0:00 Intro
2:36 Growing Up In California 
6:22 Two Wheels To Four Wheels
8:54 Dirt Trucks To Stock Cars
11:03 How Much Luck Goes Into NASCAR?
13:41 SIM Racing Changing The Barrier Of Entry
17:11Why Switch To Indy Car?
18:39 Chad Knaus And Jimmie’s Relationship 
22:00 Press Going From Underdog To Champion 
26:29 Work Life Balance Of NASCAR
28:37 Racing In Coronado 
29:28 Differences In Being An Owner v Driver
34:01 Playing Defense In NASCAR
37:28 Biggest Rival
41:28 What’s More Stressful, Driver Or Owner?
42:26 Who Is Jimmie Jam?
47:31 Was Jimmie Superstitious? 
51:11 What Do People Get Wrong About NASCAR?
54:03 What Was His Weekly Routine? 
56:09 Difference In This New Car vs The Old Ten?
59:06 Does He Still Have The Itch?
1:00:36 Mount Rushmore Of Drivers