JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S IMPALA SS, 2009 CHAMPION:
YOU MADE HISTORY TONIGHT WITH YOUR FOURTH CHAMPIONSHIP, YOUR THOUGHTS:
“Just amazed. I mean I’ve been trying to chase this out of my head and what this might mean to me after the disappointment at Texas. So it is going to take a little while for those things to jump start in my mind and get going again. Just so proud of the effort. Really think of how much I love this sport, how much I respect this sport. The greats before, how they have carried this sport on their backs and made it what it is and then to do something none of them have done, it is unbelievable man. I grew up on two wheels in the dirt. I had no clue I was going to end up here racing stock cars and doing something that had never been done before.”
YOU HAD A CLOSE CALL EARLY IN THE RACE, WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND THEN?
“Well, Juan (Pablo Montoya) a couple of times came when his spotter told him he was clear to the wall and there were two times we almost got pinched in the wall. Then when Juan and No. 14 spun, I could see it coming. I heard they got into each other earlier and I could see them looking for each other and messing with each other.”
YOU’VE NOW WON CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HALF OF YOUR SPRINT CUP CAREER, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT?
“It is unbelievable. Four championships in eight years. 47 wins. Everything this team has done is truly amazing. I know that the fans and everybody respects what this race team has done. I can’t wait where this race team ends up. We’ve got a lot of racing ahead of us. I know that we are solidly in the record books. But I know we have a lot more to accomplish.”
NOW YOU ARE IN A GROUP OF ONLY FOUR DRIVERS WITH MULTIPLE CHAMPIONSHIPS, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHERE THIS PUTS YOU IN HISTORY?
“No, I haven’t yet. When you look at the stats, it is definitely towards the top and that is something I am very proud of. I have a lot of racing ahead of me so it is tough to really say at this point. We’ve have covered some territory in a short period of time and I feel the years ahead of us we can even get higher in the record books.
“A big thank you to all of the fans of this sport of NASCAR and of our racing.”
CHAD KNAUS, CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING CREW CHIEF, NO. 48 LOWE’S IMPALA SS:
“Man, what a great race, wasn’t it? I mean it really was! Fantastic race. I just couldn’t be happier. We got back there a little bit, but we wanted to make sure at every opportunity we kept fueling the car. We didn’t want to get ourselves in a position at the end of the race we didn’t have enough fuel to make it. So, we pitted that one time and fell back a little bit, but, man just motored right up to the front. The car was so fast. We had a really good race car so I am really excited about coming back next year because I think we’ll have a shot to win this thing. I think we could have done it tonight if we had just a little bit better opportunity. Man, what a fantastic job. I have to thank Mr. Hendrick. I wish he was down here with us tonight but he had a family emergency and wasn’t able to make it. We hope everything is good there Boss. I’ve got to thank all the Lowe’s employees and the managers and everybody that is here from Lowe’s. All the fans. What a great crowd here tonight. All the fans watching at home. Man, what a great season. I don’t even know what to say. It is fantastic.”
TALK ABOUT YOUR EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW:
“Man I don’t know. That is awesome. That is just absolutely incredible. I think that has got to say how impressive this Lowe’s team is and what a great, fantastic driver Jimmie Johnson is. Jimmie is an incredible incredible talent. He is the most underrated driver in this garage from a perspective media recognition. I mean that guy can do things with a race car that I’ve never seen done before. I hope this proves this to everybody.”
ARE YOU GOING TO GO FOR A FIFTH AND KEEP THE RECORD BOOKS GOING?
“Right now I am going to celebrate our fourth and work on going to Daytona. How’s that?”
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