Johnson's family together for Christmas

Budding career kept Jimmie Johnson away during holidays

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Jimmie Johnson already knows it's coming. The incessant ring of the cell phone is inevitable.

	Jimmie Johnson Credit: Autostock

Christmas is a day away, and Johnson knows that the new day's dawn will bring an early and abrupt awakening.

His younger brother, Jesse, is wound up tighter than Miss Winston's pants.

Santa's coming.

"It really all boils down to me trying to sleep in while my 13-year-old brother blows my phone up from six or seven in the morning, trying to drag everyone out of bed to come over to Mom and Dad's," Johnson said, laughing. "He loves it. He can't wait."

Christmas has new and special meaning for the Johnsons these days. For years, while Jimmie was on the East Coast chasing a racing dream and the rest of the family was stationed in California, they were unable to unite during the holidays.

"For me, since 1997, I've been away from home," said Johnson, who last season became the first rookie in NASCAR history to lead the championship points race. "I left my parents in California to chase an opportunity, to come to the East Coast and get into a stock car and be around all of it.

"So for five or six years the only time I'd ever see my family was on Christmas, if I saw them at all. Being away on the holidays isn't the best feeling. That's the time you want to be around your family.

"So now that they've moved out here to Charlotte we've been able to have Christmas together and it's just been awesome."

Other than good fellowship and an "amazing" home-cooked meal, the Johnsons have no set Christmas tradition.

"I don't get much of a chance to have Mom's home-cooked meals," Johnson said. "So I'm really looking forward to going over there that day.

"Plus, I've missed a lot of good years seeing my younger brother's surprise on Christmas morning. So it's been awesome to see him these past couple years, it really helps you realize what it's all about."

Even if it does require an early wakeup call.