White House To Honor Jimmie Johnson For Going Left, ESPN Will Air Historic Meet

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, will be honored by President Barack Obama on Wednesday Aug. 19.

The show, which will air on ESPN2's NASCAR Now program will run for a full hour at 4:30 P.M. ET.

Along with Jimmie Johnson as the guest of honor, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch will also be honored. Each driver participated in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Also on the list of attendees will be past champions Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, and Darrell Waltrip.

Special guests will also include Juan Montoya. Nicole Manske will host NASCAR Now from the White House, with analysis by Brad Daugherty.

Jarrett, Wallace, and NASCAR Now lead reporter Marty Smith also will participate in the telecast.

This will be the first time in ESPN's 30-year history, a program of this magnitude will be telecast, from beginning to end, at the White House.

The ceremonies will also include a tour of the White House, along with a chance for those in attendance to snap a few of their favorite pictures.

NASCAR is once again honored to have its drivers recognized by the President of the United States," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said. "NASCAR is rooted deep in America's fabric and represents the best of sports and side-by-side competition."

Special thanks to NASCAR.com for the end quote.