Show your support.
Buzz this article up.
Q. I understand you have an announcement that you would like to make. Some good news this morning. Mr. H?
RICK HENDRICK: Yeah, I’m real excited to announce today that we’ve signed an extension with Jimmie Johnson through the 2015 season. We just signed a new deal with Lowe’s through 2013. We’re excited about it. I know you guys are tired of talking to us. We saw you yesterday.
Like we said yesterday, the key to success I think is keeping people together. This has been a fantastic ride with Jimmie. He and I have said we’d like to retire together. Lowe’s has been an unbelievable sponsor. We’re just real excited about keeping the whole deal intact. We just wanted to let you know today that’s all done.
Q. Jimmie, I assume you are very happy about that?
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Definitely. So fortunate to have my team, job, situation at Hendrick Motorsports. Lowe’s has been nothing but amazing to Hendrick Motorsports, to myself. So very, very excited about the future.
The only car I’ve driven in the Cup Series has been a Chevy. It’s been a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and a Lowe’s Chevrolet. I’m very, very proud of that stuff. Certainly look forward to the future, what the years may bring.
Q. A very important weekend for you and Hendrick Motorsports. If you could give us a quick comment on what Sunday will mean.
JIMMIE JOHNSON: Well, excited to get on the track. Looking forward to understanding where our setup’s at, what we have here. Trying a few things different than what we’ve had in the past. Hopefully that makes the difference and has the car capable to sit on the pole and run up front in the race.
We’ll know a lot more here in a couple hours. But eagerly awaiting on-track activity.
Q. Mr. H, any thoughts real quick?
RICK HENDRICK: We have never won here, so that’s definitely a goal that we’d like to really cap off a great year by winning this race. That’s something we’d really like to do. But it’s going to be a great weekend. We’re going to celebrate another championship. So we’re just happy to be here and look forward to Sunday.
Q. Rick, contract questions. You have traditionally signed Chad at the same time as Jimmie. I’m wondering if that’s something that’s being worked on. Also, I wanted to ask you about Jeff. I know he has a lifetime contract. What does that really mean? Where does Jeff stand?
RICK HENDRICK: Jeff and I have an agreement. As long as he drives in Cup, he’s going to drive our car. I’m hoping he’s going to drive a bunch of more years. We know it’s going to be at least three or four. So we’re excited about that.
You know, Jimmie and I try to look at a lifetime deal. I couldn’t borrow enough money to make it work (smiling). But, you know, Chad has a multi-year deal. Chad and I have talked about retiring together. So we’re in the process of getting that all papered.
But, you know, I think our goal and everybody’s on the same page, keeping this thing together for the foreseeable future.
Q. Rick, did Lowe’s make any new performance demands on you with the new deal? Do you feel like you’re getting the money that Bruton didn’t get?
RICK HENDRICK: I hope so (laughter).
Q. I assume they had to be jumping through hoops happy with what’s happened.
RICK HENDRICK: They’re really tickled to death. I can tell you from the very first year and the second year before Jimmie won a championship, we go to their national sales meeting, and their guys were just ripping and roaring. It’s been a phenomenal partnership with Lowe’s. They’ve built a lot of their marketing around Jimmie and Chad and the race team. They’ve been some of the best partners we’ve ever had in the sport. Very supportive in so many ways. They’ve put up a ton of money for our guys in the shop. I mean, gift cards, cash. They have just been phenomenal to deal with.
Did I answer your question?
