Nashville Star: Johnson shines at the CMTs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jimmie Johnson sits at a table deep within the confines of Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center, discussing the intricacies of his new motor home with country music star Chris Cagle when an attractive young lady in a headset politely interrupts them.

"Jimmie Johnson?" she nods, eyebrows raised in question. "Chris Cagle? Time to go, guys."

	Johnson cuts up with Chandra and co-presenter Chris Cagle. Credit: TSI

Suddenly, the gleam in Johnson's eye shifts to a blank stare. Though no one dares verbalize it, his anxiety is palpable. He knows he's ready, having successfully negotiated rehearsal, conducted extensive study of his lines and remembered that all-important tissue box.

But as he leans down to kiss his girlfriend, Chandra Janway, he breaks the silence with an obvious truth.

"I haven't been this nervous since the Daytona 500. Hell, I don't even think I was this nervous then."

With that, he drafts Cagle out the door, zooms past host Toby Keith, through a flaming arch and onto a waiting stage before 10,000 screaming fans to bestow Joe Nichols with the Country Music Television Flameworthy Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year.

The performance requires Johnson to mockingly offer several tissues to Cagle, who cried last year after winning in the Breakthrough category. After Cagle rebuts the joke by asking if Johnson ever cries, Johnson replies:

PHOTO GALLERY  Jimmie Johnson at the CMTs

"Well, maybe when I crashed into a wall at 200 mph hour and blew up into a ball of flames. But that wouldn't compare to winning this award."

His duty now complete, Johnson returns to the waiting room, gathers up Chandra and heads down the hall to collect the swag given presenters at the second annual Flameworthy Awards, an opportunity afforded him through a partnership between CMT and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.

After a couple of beers and a post-party strategy session with Kid Rock and Kenny Chesney, it was off to his front-and-center seats to take in the rest of the show.

"That was cool. Everything went okay. It wasn't too bad, besides walking through that ring of fire," Johnson said. "I was a little bit afraid of that thing, afraid it'd catch me on fire."

Keep the change

JIMMIE JOHNSON  •  Driver Page  •  2003 Stats  •  Message Board  •  Store: Buy Johnson gear!

Johnson was fired up from the moment he arrived in Nashville Sunday night, having finished 15th at Talladega after leading the most laps. But after a good night's rest, he was primed for the evening's festivities. At midday, he went to rehearsal and met Cagle, an avid race fan.

"He showed up with his NASCAR jacket on and was wide open the whole time," Johnson said. "He was talking about wanting to go to every race and play a concert for the fans on Saturday night before the race. He was even talking about shrink-wrapping his bus in Lowe's signage."

After rehearsal and a quick tour of downtown, Johnson headed back to the hotel to get ready for the show. As he hopped in the limousine to head to the red carpet, the proverbial wick was turned up. He was concerned about his outfit, and polled those in the car with him. The vote was 4-to-1 in favor.

Already some 30 minutes late, a detour was required to purchase lipstick for Chandra. The couple quickly located a suitable shade, but the line to pay for it was rather extensive.

Unable to spare any more time en route to the red carpet, Johnson simply pulled eight dollars from his pocket, slapped it on the counter and ran out.

	Johnson talks racing with country star Blake Shelton. Credit: TSI

"Let's see. $6.29 and I gave her $8? That should cover it, right? It should, right? Man, could this be any more stressful?"

For the record, Chandra was thoroughly pleased with the purchase.

Magic Carpet Ride

Hordes of fans greeted Johnson's limousine as it arrived at the red carpet entrance an hour before the show. As he stepped onto the carpet, a pack of photographers and a lengthy string of television reporters were waiting.

He obliged all comers and conversed with celebrities such as singer Blake Shelton before strolling down the carpet towards the backstage area. As he passed the gallery, several serenading fans -- most of which were young ladies, though some were sweaty, intoxicated gentlemen -- offered "I love you, Jimmie!" well wishes.

That changed somewhat later in the night. As Johnson went out to the limo to get Chandra's jacket, a passerby mumbled, "Go Junior." And as Johnson and his entourage departed for the post-party, a stadium attendant offered this analysis of Sunday's action at Talladega:

"Ol' Junior voodoo'd ya, didn't he?"

Boot-Scootin' Boogie

After the show, many of the attendees took in the VIP post-party, including Johnson. As he walked back past the gallery en route to the party tent, folks asked him everything from "Who are you?" to "Need a date?"

	Johnson hangs out with Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Fez on "That 70s Show." Credit: TSI

During the festivities, he hung out with the likes of Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Fez on Johnson's favorite show, "That 70s Show;" Kid Rock and Pam Anderson, Kenny Chesney and Nashville Predators defenseman Cale Hulse, whose parents were such avid NASCAR fans that they named him after Cale Yarborough.

Eddie Montgomery, half of the dynamic duo Montgomery Gentry, also follows the sport religiously, and spent more time than anyone conversing with Johnson.

During their conversation, Montgomery informed Johnson that a new Lowe's had just opened in his hometown, and that he and his son -- a huge Johnson fan -- had gone down there the previous week to pictures taken behind the wheel of one of Johnson's showcars.

"He actually went down to a Lowe's and saw my showcar, now that's just too cool," Johnson said.

Sky Dive

After a few hours of sleep, an early-morning conference call and the inhalation of a meal, Johnson & Co. boarded a small plane home to Charlotte. About a half-hour into the flight, the plane hit an air pocket and plummeted a significant distance downward, resulting in forehead abrasions for two of the five passengers and a damaged laptop computer.

The pilots quickly righted the plane. For the remainder of the flight those aboard laughed hysterically at a columnist that screamed like an eight-year old girl during descent.

"That whole night was really awesome, the whole trip was just so fun," Johnson said. "I got to meet a lot of new people, and many I had already admired, and they're all really nice. It was quite an experience, for sure."