A Conversation with Jimmie Johnson

Three-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson isn’t as slick as you might expect. He’s a whole lot cooler. He’s more like a laid-back college buddy you’d grab a beer with than a multi-million dollar reigning champion. The 33-year-old is naturally relaxed, comfortably friendly and scruffy-looking yet impeccably handsome.

Despite the quest to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win four straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Championships, Johnson's got other things on his mind...like road rage, starting a family, the San Diego Padres and avoiding motion sickness.

It can be a lot to think about when you’re trying to prevail in the longest season in all of sports. No pressure, right?


Laura Lane: When you’re driving on a normal day to the store, do you ever have to remind yourself you’re not on a track?

Jimmie Johnson: It’s not so much speeding, but I just have to be passing people. If I’m on the interstate and somebody’s doing 55 mph, I’m going to be doing 56 mph so I can inch on by. The one thing that gets my wife all the time is how close I drive to other cars. It drives her crazy. That part, I know she’s not a fan of.

LL: Have you ever had someone get upset with you on the road and then realize, "oh wait, that’s Jimmie Johnson!"?

JJ: Maybe, but what’s funny to me is somebody will get mad at me on the road and cut me off or hit the brakes or do something and I’m thinking, “Do you realize what I do for a living? Why are you messing with me right now?” I do get a laugh out of that from time to time.

LL: Ever gotten any tickets?

JJ: You know, I haven’t. I wasn’t wearing my seat belt years ago in California and I got a ticket for that, but that’s it.

LL: Ever talked your way out of a ticket?

JJ: I haven’t even had the opportunity for that. Not that I’m this great driver, but I’ve been just pretty lucky, and I need to knock on some wood because I’ll get a ticket just as soon as I get in that car.

LL: When you go out with your wife (Chandra), are you normally the driver?

JJ: Oh, yeah. The funny thing is, I get motion sickness really bad. If I’m not driving the vehicle, it does something in my head and I get nauseous. Like cabs, riding in cars, a limo or something. If I’m sitting in the back of a limo, I will get sick in like five minutes.

LL: You must be the only millionaire to not get car service.

JJ: I try not to. I get so nauseous riding in cars. It’s crazy. Even rollercoasters. If I’m not driving I get motion sickness.

LL: Do you and your wife plan to have kids?

JJ: At some point, we certainly will.

LL: And when you do, will you be scared to hand over the keys?

JJ: I can only imagine how frightening it is as parents who hands the keys over. I’m sure you were in the same position, you wanted to drive at 14 and I was the same way. I don’t know how our parents ever turned us loose or ever felt comfortable.

Maybe they never did feel comfortable enough to let us go. But my wife’s always teasing me about that. And then I’m sure if we have a boy, I’m going to want him to race and how tough that will be to watch him get hurt or to race.

LL: What’s your favorite sport outside of NASCAR?

JJ: I’m a big fan of a lot of sports. The football season is really exciting to me because when it’s getting hot and heavy is when our stuff’s over so I can come to the events and watch it on television, because normally I’m working Sundays as well.

So football is what I follow the closest but I have some great friends that play baseball and some guys I know that play hockey as well. I just like watching pros do their thing. That’s more impressive to me than anything.

LL: Who’s your favorite sports team?

JJ: It was the Atlanta Braves for a long time and it was relative to how many friends I have that were on their roster, and now it’s kind of split up and they’re not all in the same spot. I have two high school friends who played for the Padres and I probably follow them closer than anything.

LL: With all of your success, does that give your more pressure to live up to or less because you’ve already proven yourself?

JJ: With me it's calmed things down I think. I have a lot of confidence in what I’ve been doing and my approach and work ethic for it. It’s helped me relax a lot more than anything.