This weekend Jimmie Johnson will set out for a record-tying 7th NASCAR championship putting him in elite company alongside Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. as one of the best drivers in the history of the sport. Johnson has competed in over 500 Sprint Cup Series races and nearly 100 Xfinity Series races dating back to 1998. He ranks among the top in all-time wins with the likes of Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, and Cale Yarborough.
Johnson’s reach outside of NASCAR also includes four consecutive ESPY “Best Driver” awards from 2008-11, in addition to being the first racecar driver to earn Male Athlete of the Year from The Associated Press in 2009. But Johnson is looking to take his career to the next step by completing one of the greatest feats in the history of his sport. He received some high praise from some of the best to ever do it in their sports.
In a new spot from Gatorade, Johnson gets some special messages from other top tier athletes. Two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Peyton Manning, New York Yankees great Derek Jeter, U.S. women’s soccer legend Abby Wambach, Washington Nationals’ MVP Bryce Harper, tennis star Serena Williams and Minnesota Timberwolves’ reigning NBA rookie of the year Karl-Anthony Towns all encourage Jimmie to “chase down seven.” Here’s to hoping Johnson can capture number seven this weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Check out the new spot below, courtesy of Gatorade.
