Jimmie Johnson: NASCAR's Mojo Master Uses Hoodoo For Championship Run

Much has been made this season, and the past several seasons, of the "mojo" exhibited by the number 48 Lowe’s team and driver Jimmie Johnson. With a third consecutive championship in sight, Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus, and owner Rick Hendrick, do seem to have all of the magic flowing their way.

After months of investigation and research, the secret to Jimmie Johnson and crew's "mojo" has indeed been discovered. It has been determined that for the past three years, Jimmie Johnson has become a master of the ancient art of hoodoo.

Now, hoodoo is not to be confused with voodoo. Voodoo is actually a religion, where hoodoo is simply a belief in magic.

While the origins of hoodoo are said to have come over with African American slaves, this folk magic belief has been particularly strong in southeast America, especially North and South Carolina.

Although raised in California, Johnson became enamored with hoodoo when he made his move to NASCAR and to North Carolina. As he learned more about this mystical persuasion, he became a passionate fan of the belief system.

Johnson wholeheartedly embraces the goal of hoodoo, which is to allow individuals to access supernatural forces to gain power in their lives to improve their luck, money, and employment.  In his early years of hoodooism, he dabbled in using herbs, minerals and parts of small animal bodies to gain the edge in his racing.

As Johnson became more of a master of the art of hoodoo, he also became more successful on the track. Crew chief Chad Knaus quickly became a convert and soon, every crew member was using a magic charm during each and every race.

Johnson took his hoodoo skills to the highest level this past weekend in Atlanta. After the number 48 car passed through inspection, Chad and team members were seen rubbing hoodoo mineral oil throughout the inside of the car.

The oil worked as, in spite of a speeding penalty on pit road, Johnson was able to get the free pass just laps later. This put Jimmie and crew right back in the thick of the hunt for the race win.

But the team's true hoodoo came towards the end of the race.  A late caution came out and drivers and crew chiefs had to decide whether or not to pit.

During the caution laps, all eyes and ears were on Chad Knaus as he talked over the options with his driver. Jimmie, after rubbing the hoodoo crystal that he had embedded in his driving gloves, advised Chad that the decision was all in his hands and that he had achieved total peace with that.

Chad gathered the 48 team around him and they took out their most sacred hoodoo charm, a red flannel cloth bag filled with petition papers asking for race victory. After quickly consulting the charm, Chad called his driver to pit road and took tires.

The hoodoo magic worked like the charm that it is and Jimmie Johnson flew through the field. But just as Johnson was passing Denny Hamlin, Hamlin's car got very loose and began to wiggle.

Because Johnson's entire team had become so proficient in hoodoo, Jimmie's spotter had to work the hoodoo this time. He managed to use another hoodoo symbol, a ginger root, which he waved directly at Hamlin's Fed Ex car. This caused the car to immediately straighten out, allowing Johnson to make the pass easily on the outside.

There is no doubt that had there been a green, white, checkered finish in the Atlanta race, that hoodoo magic would have led Johnson right into victory lane.  As it was, Jimmie finished second and widened the gap between him and Carl Edwards, now second in points thanks to his race win.

Johnson will no doubt be working this entire week with Knaus and crew on new hoodoo for Texas Motor Speedway. So, Jimmie, please keep doing that hoodoo that you do so very well.

Photo demonstrates hoodoo magic symbols, many of them currently used by the Lowe’s team. Please note that viewing the hoodoo symbols may have just worked their magic if you believe this hoodoo article.