Chat Transcript: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson: Hello to everyone out there! Thanks for coming by NASCAR.com this afternoon to chat with me. I am looking forward to your questions.

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sim24racer: Jimmie, awesome job in The Winston! Finish it up in 600 this weekend. When racing Jeff, especially for a win like in The Winston, do you ever second-guess passing the boss? Or would he and Rick be more disappointed that you didn't go for the win?

Jimmie Johnson: Thanks for the congratulations! I never thought twice about passing the boss. That is why he hired me to drive the racecar. I just needed to do it without taking him out! Haha

lovin_24_4ev: What do you think of the format of The Winston? Do you think it will change?

Jimmie Johnson: I think the format with the racing and eliminating people from advancing is a good program, but I also think the inversion process will be looked at and maybe changed in the future.

	Credit: Autostock

gojimmie: Hey Jimmie, great job! Hope you win more this year. My question is what was the first thing going through your head when you realized you won The Winston and one million dollars?

Jimmie Johnson: I was worried about all the front braking biases in the car so I could do a cool burnout!!

JEFG24: Congratulations Jimmie on winning The Winston! What, if anything, will you do to the No. 48 for the upcoming Coca-Cola 600? Your car appeared to be among the best of the Hendrick cars.

Jimmie Johnson: We are using a different racecar for the 600. The track changed a little bit from when we tested there so we will take some things that we learned during The Winston and apply those to the 600 car.

JJfan: Will you and your team prepare any differently going into the Dodge/Save Mart 350 next month, since it is a road race versus an oval track? Thanks and good luck!!

Jimmie Johnson: There are obviously different concerns for racing the road courses over the ovals, so we will go test so I can get used to downshifting again, etc. There are different things to worry about with those kinds of cars with the brakes and transmissions, so we will work on preparing for those issues as well.

	With Ryan Newman (left) Credit: Autostock

ryan12_JJ48: Hey Jimmie! Congratulations on your win at The Winston! It was awesome! Was there any added pressure when Humpy Wheeler named you as his pick for the win? Thanks and best of luck to you and your team this season!!!

Jimmie Johnson: I don't think there was any more pressure than what we would put on ourselves! We were just hoping he was right. He has picked the winners a bunch of times so we were just happy that he picked us for it.

Davey69: Jimmie, congratulations on your win Saturday. How much information is actually shared between your team and the No. 24 team? Do you withhold info?

Jimmie Johnson: Everything is open book amongst the Hendrick cars. It is all there for all the teams to use and ask questions about. We don't hold anything back.

gordon03: Hi Jimmie, congratulations to your win at The Winston, and thanks for your autograph to Germany :-). Can you tell us about special schemes which will come to the No. 48 car this season???

Jimmie Johnson: We will have only two this year. The Power of Pride program, which we are running now, and a Sponge Bob special paint scheme that we will be debuting on the car at Daytona during the July 4th race for Nickelodeon.

	Credit: Autostock

JimmiesGal48: The Lowe's 600 goes from daylight to night. Do you need to make any major adjustments in your driving tactics when this change occurs?

Jimmie Johnson: Not necessarily in your driving, but you have to be smart and think through how you set up the car and being able to adjust it. The track changes so much when the sun goes down that you have to be prepared to handle that.

watch48win: Congratulations on your win Saturday night! With all the success that you have had with team Lowe's in the Cup series, how do you handle your newfound celebrity? Is it what you expected? You are the man! Go 48.

Jimmie Johnson: It is not something that you are prepared for or used to and I forget at times that I get recognized, but I guess it comes with the territory. At the racetracks you are expecting it, but out in public it is a little different.

Budfan8: How do you feel about the rest of the season? What are you looking forward too?

Jimmie Johnson: We have had a great season so far, and we have had some bad luck at the end of some days, but hopefully this win will get the monkey off our back and we can close in on the points race. I have a lot of good tracks coming up, and there aren't any tracks I dislike, so I really think we have a good shot at the Championship.

	Credit: Autostock

RacerJim: Aside from allowing you to ultimately advance to the final segment of The Winston, how important do you feel the first two segments were for you?

Jimmie Johnson: They are real important. You have to make sure you transfer, but the track is changing a lot during those first two segments, so you have to be on top of your game and really adjust the car for those two segments.

dupont24: Hey Jimmie, congratulations on winning The Winston. Are you confident that your performance Saturday will be a good indication of how you perform this Sunday at the 600?

Jimmie Johnson: We are hoping so! We really feel like we have a better car for the 600, and granted it is a much longer race, but we really feel like we will be a contender.

LaMesaDennis: Hi Jimmie. AWESOME job at The Winston by you and the entire Lowe's team! I was wondering, people accuse Jeff Gordon of banging a lot of cars around in that race. Do you feel somewhat immune to his bump and run tactics, since he owns your hardware?

Jimmie Johnson: Racing for $1 million, everyone is trying really hard. I know Jeff was trying to bump-draft Ward, and unfortunately he turned him into the wall. We, as drivers, bump-draft a lot during races, and unfortunately it didn't work that time. It just shows how hard everyone is out there pushing for $1 million.

	With crew chief Chad Knaus Credit: Autostock

girlyracefan: Hello Jimmie! I was curious to hear what track is it that you feel is the most challenging to you as a driver physically?

Jimmie Johnson: I would say the road courses are, especially Sonoma. There are so many gear shifts, elevation changes, and the seats are designed differently and they don't support you as well. Those are really the most demanding races.

MyJJ48: Who designed your "Evil Kenivel" outfit for Saturday's race and will you be wearing it in a future race?

Jimmie Johnson: I am not sure who is responsible, but I will be wearing it again this weekend!

JG24JJ48: Hello Mr. Johnson! Awesome win! After coming off an amazing rookie year, do you feel that the sophomore jinx is going get you? Or do you think that the Championship can be yours, even in just your sophomore year?

Jimmie Johnson: I think we have as good a shot to win it as anyone. I think the way that we have been running shows that the sophomore slump is not something we have had to deal with. We are ahead of where we were last year.

	Credit: Autostock

FL_teacher: Jimmie, way to go on The Winston! Wanted to let you know my elementary class loves to watch you race each weekend. Can you tell us what is your favorite track? And what makes it so special?

Jimmie Johnson: I have a few favorites, and it is more based on how unique the track is. I would say Dover, Darlington and Lowe's Motor Speedway. They are all very hard to drive and different than anywhere else we race at, between the surfaces of the tracks, and the transitions between banking.

nascargirl1983: Hey Jimmie, congratulations on your win! What advice can you give to people just starting out in racing? What does it take to get where you are today? Thanks!

Jimmie Johnson: It takes a lot of luck, and it certainly doesn't take wealthy families, because that is not the way I came up. It just takes hard work and determination. There are plenty of times that I didn't think this would work out and I stuck with it. Luckily for me it did work out, and I got lucky that the right people noticed me.

murdock24: How much has Jeff helped you in your on-track driving knowledge and does he continue to mentor your efforts on a regular basis?

	Credit: Autostock

Jimmie Johnson: Absolutely. We are always communication about things on the racetrack. Some weeks I am better than he is, and others he is better than I am. We are always communicating so we can both get the most out of our cars.

SeanMcFarlan: Hey Jimmie, what happened at California? You crashed directly in front of me! My favorite driver crashed directly in front of me in my first Sunday event!

Jimmie Johnson: It wasn't my plan! I wish that it didn't happen. It was a hard racing incident that unfortunately took me out of another good finish.

GORDANFAN907: Jimmie, you must be amazed with your accomplishments so far! As a huge Hendrick Motorsports fan, at the start of the 2002 season, did you guys really think you would win three races and contend for a Championship?

Jimmie Johnson: We knew that we had a great combination with Hendrick Motorsports and Lowe's behind us, and we were just surprised as everyone else when it started to happen for us.

	Credit: Autostock

48and24: First, I would like to say great win on Saturday. How did your win in The Winston affect the team this week? I know you are sixth in points, but things didn't seem to be going your way.

Jimmie Johnson: It gives our team a lot of confidence to get back to those winning ways. We had someone leave the team after Richmond and we had to shift responsibilities, but winning The Winston gave our guys confidence that we can keep winning races.

48chic: Hey Jimmie, congratulations on winning The Winston! My question is, what does Jeff Gordon say to you after a win? Thanks, Stephanie, Atlanta

Jimmie Johnson: Jeff and the teams are just congratulating us and celebrating. After The Winston we just talked about the racing that was going on, but it is really what you would expect from teammates -- just congratulating one another.

Indy: What do you think about Stewart's remarks after The Winston about you and "games?" I thought it was a bitter remark!

Jimmie Johnson: The thing is, you have to be smart to win races as well, and I take it as a compliment from him. Tony has won a lot of races by outsmarting the competition, and I take that as a compliment. We still had to perform and be fast after that, so we had to beat him on both fronts.

cmuamandapa: Congratulations! What kind of street-legal cars do you drive?

Jimmie Johnson: I have a Chevy Tahoe.

lovin_24_4ev: Congratulations! Do you feel that after this win you can relax and go after more wins this season? Good Luck!

	Credit: Autostock

Jimmie Johnson: There isn't any relaxing involved. Every week the competition gets stronger and stronger. We have an easy week, just smiling about our victory, but when we hit the track again this weekend, it is back to trying to win the race.

JJ48Rules: First, congratulations on winning The Winston, Jimmie. (It should have been two years in a row!) My question is this, how does the prize money get split up between your team members, and do you have special plans for that "million?" :)

Jimmie Johnson: Every driver and team owner get a percentage worked out and negotiated to break up the money, but when I do see the check, and it wont be for a while, I will just save it! I just want to secure my future so I don't have to work some day!

erica: Would you ever consider missing The Winston like some drivers have been saying they might do next year?

Jimmie Johnson: I think they are just saying that. I don't think that anyone will miss it. There is just too much up for grabs. If it does leave Charlotte, it will put a huge strain on all the teams, so we don't want that to happen, but if they keep putting up that kind of money, drivers will show up.

GoHendrickMo: Jimmie, with all the success last year, what seems to be the difference this year with the team?

Jimmie Johnson: We just have a year of experience under our belts and now we can realize and notice the peaks and valleys so we can make it through the whole season.

GO24_48_97: Jimmie, good job at The Winston!!! Are you and your team fortunate or frustrated so far in the points race given what ass taken place so far?

Jimmie Johnson: We wish that we would have had some better luck so far, but with all the bad luck we have had, we are still in the middle of the points battle, so we are lucky in that respect. All in all, we are doing well.

frank24-48: Did Jeff Gordon see more in your driving ability that you knew you had? Good luck this weekend.

	With Jeff Gordon (right)

Jimmie Johnson: Yeah, I guess I was surprised that so early in my career I was noticed by Jeff and Rick, so they saw more in my abilities than I thought was there, and I am really glad they did!

Gordonfan: Hey Jimmie, do you and the other drivers ever think you will be coming to Gateway International to race?

Jimmie Johnson: It is hard to know what is really going to be happening. There is a lot of talk about where we will be going and what tracks will or won't get dates. I haven't heard Gateway as one of those, so that is really hard to say.

miniracing8: Jimmie, congratulations on winning The Winston! My youngest son is a fan of yours and he is a student at the UYRS, however, he has a BAD temper. I worry that this will affect his driving ability, any suggestions?

Jimmie Johnson: Temper is the hardest thing to deal with in the racecar and it is easy to see drivers on TV react with a short fuse. Maybe using the racing as the motivation is key ? explain to him that you won't be successful if your temper gets in the way and you can't make the decisions calmly. Maybe that will help you work on his temper.

NASCAR.com: Thank you for joining us today, Jimmie. Do you have any closing comments for us today?

Jimmie Johnson: Thanks to everybody that is logged on and thanks for all your support of the Lowe's team. We will keep racing hard and hopefully we will be chatting soon and often because we are still winning races!