Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Jimmie Johnson is the West Coast King and Mr. Vegas

Jimmie Johnson is 40/1 to win sunday at Las Vegas.
WEST COAST WINS: Hailing from the West Coast, it’s fitting that El Cajon, California, native Jimmie Johnson has the most wins of any driver on West Coast tracks. Johnson has accumulated 15 wins across the tracks considered “West Coast,” including: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (four), ISM Raceway (four), Auto Club Speedway (six) and Sonoma Raceway (one). The next winningest driver has 13.

VEGAS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS: Four times in his storied career, Johnson found himself a winner of the Las Vegas race, and three out of the four times he was also the winner of the Cup Series championship that same season. He won at the 1.5-mile track in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 and won championships in 2006, 2007 and 2010.

MILESTONE 150TH WIN: Johnson’s 2007 win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the 150th NASCAR Cup Series win for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson led 89 laps en route to the win, which was his third straight at the 1.5-mile track.

LEADER OF THE PACK: Johnson has the most wins of any driver at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with four. There are five other tracks where he is the all-time win leader, including: Dover International Speedway (11), Charlotte Motor Speedway (eight), Texas Motor Speedway (seven), Auto Club Speedway (six) and Kansas Speedway, where his three wins are tied with Jeff Gordon atop the list. Johnson also holds the record for most laps led at Las Vegas with 595.

1.5-MILE MASTER: In 179 career starts on 1.5-mile tracks, Johnson has amassed 28 wins – the most of all drivers on the track type. He owns 11 more wins than second place on the all-time list, Gordon, and 13 more wins than the second-place active competitor, Kevin Harvick.

QUICK STOP IN PHOENIX: Before Johnson heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he will make a brief stop in Avondale, Arizona, on behalf of ISM Raceway. Johnson will visit K-8 students at Estrella Vista STEM Academy, speak with them about the importance of technology in motor sports and kick off the school’s month-long careers program that focuses on the role of technology and engineering.

VERGE OF A MILESTONE: Johnson is on the verge of his 84th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series win. He secured his 83rd in June 2017 to tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time wins list. An 84th win would tie Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth all-time. Johnson is currently 10 wins behind former teammate Gordon, who has 93 victories and is third on the list. Johnson has the most wins of all active drivers.

VEGAS TEST: Johnson, crew chief Kevin Meendering and the No. 48 team participated in a two-day test session on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the 2019 rules package took to the 1.5-mile track for the first time.

Driver Jimmie Johnson 
Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 43
 

2019 Season

  • 16th in standings
  • 2 starts
  • 0 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 0 top-five finishes
  • 1 top-10 finish
  • 0 laps led
 
 

Career

  • 617 starts
  • 83 wins
  • 35 pole positions
  • 224 top-five finishes
  • 353 top-10 finishes
  • 18,703 laps led
 
 

Track Career 

  • 18 starts
  • 4 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 6 top-five finishes
  • 9 top-10 finishes
  • 595 laps led
 

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