Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Agree to New Contract

Quelling whatever minor speculation there had been, Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports announced a two-year contract extension Monday that will keep the six-time champion in the No. 48 car through 2017:

“My relationship with Lowe’s and Hendrick Motorsports means so much,” Johnson said, per Gray Caldwell of Hendrick Motorsports' official website. “To me, this just reinforces how committed Lowe’s is to our sport and to our partnership. It says a lot to have one sponsor and one team for this amount of time. I couldn’t be prouder to represent everyone at Lowe’s and Hendrick Motorsports. This is my home, and I’m looking forward to many more victories together as a team.”  

As part of the new agreement, Lowe's will stay on as Johnson's primary sponsor. The home-improvement franchise has been with the 39-year-old since his debut on the Sprint Cup series in 2002. It has been one of the most successful partnerships in racing history, with Johnson taking home six championships and 74 races on the sport's highest circuit.

“The contributions Jimmie and Chad have made to Hendrick Motorsports can’t be overstated," owner Rick Hendrick said. "When Lowe’s took a chance by sponsoring the No. 48 team back in 2001, we never could’ve envisioned the results. It’s a championship combination and genuine partnership that we’re proud to continue and committed to develop even further.”

Former teammate Mark Martin congratulated Johnson on Twitter:

Interestingly, Johnson's longtime crew chief Chad Knaus also signed an extension, but his deal runs through 2018. It's unlikely Hendrick would look to split up the duo—again, their partnership has been profitable for the company—but the contract length differences are worth noting. Crew chiefs sign up with companies, not necessarily drivers, so it's at least within the realm of possibility that Knaus would move to another Hendrick team at some point in his contract.

For now, it appears they're merely interested in keeping the band together. That's good news for Hendrick Motorsports and awful news for the other 42 drivers Johnson faces on a weekly basis.

 

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.