Jimmie Johnson has 18 career Cup victories. Credit: Autostock

10 Questions: Jimmie Johnson

MIAMI, Fla. -- A cut tire on Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet in the season finale Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway only pointed out how fraught with disaster contesting a championship can be.

It should have done nothing to minimize what the Southern Californian Johnson did to finish in the top five in the standings for the fourth consecutive season -- garnering another fifth place this year to following a pair of runner-ups in 2003-2004.

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During a break in preparation for the finale to the Chase for the Nextel Cup, Johnson sat down to answer 10 questions not necessarily related to his racing career.

1. What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?

Johnson: I don't know what the vehicle is, but I already have my dream engine, and I'm waiting for a vehicle to put it in.

I won the Randy Dorton engine that was auctioned off, when the proceeds went to the Randy Dorton Foundation.

That's one of our Nextel Cup engines from last year -- one of our 10,000-RPM engines that we used to run that are now illegal -- so I can't wait to put that in something.

And I'm aggressively trying to find a car to put that in.

Q: And you're a diverse guy, so would that be an off-road vehicle, a GTP sports car or what?

Johnson: No, I'm thinking it would be some kind of hot rod, to cruise around with on the street.

I love sports cars, but when you're sitting in a Ferrari or sitting in a 'Vette or something -- you feel the need to be really aggressive on the street. And I would hate to hurt myself or hurt somebody else on the road.

So I would rather just have a hot rod so I can do burnouts with it in a parking lot.

2. If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?

Johnson: We have two little ankle-biters right now that are great dogs and part of the family. But I would love to have a big dog to help balance some things out.

So I would think either a Lab or a Greyhound dog would do that.

Jimmie Johnson might give you an evil stare if you were to lollygag in the fast lane. Credit: Autostock

3. What's your biggest pet peeve while driving on the road?

Johnson: I cannot stand people in the fast lane, not passing other cars. I mean, when they get in the fast lane and they hit cruise control and they're running 55 on the nose -- get in the move-over lane and get out of the way.

Q: What's the solution to that -- and please don't say the breakdown lane?

Johnson: Well (laughing), Richard Petty bumped one once and got in trouble so he's helped me to understand that that's a bad option.

Usually you can just pull over in the next lane, stare at 'em and then cut 'em off and cross over in front of them and get them out of the way.

4. You've had a long career racing a number of different divisions, so what's your worst hotel experience?

Johnson: Boy, that's tough, but I would have to say -- oh, I know, I've got the perfect one.

Up in Antigo, Wis., when I was racing off-road trucks, we stayed in this local little hotel -- I think it was called the Cutlass.

And they're going to kill me for saying this, but I guess at one time it was more of a resort, and they had these themed rooms. And coming in, and being a driver, I got a suite.

And I got this Eskimo suite, and somehow they tried to make this thing look like what the inside of an igloo would be like. This was in 1995, when I was there, and it was worn out then.

Jimmie Johnson won four races in 2005. Credit: Autostock

I can only imagine what it's like, now -- but it was already 20 years old then and broken and clapped-out. It was one of those deals where you put your shoes on because you're afraid to walk on the carpet.

So it was bad, and on top of that they had a waterbed in the hotel room -- so that would be it -- the worst.

Q: And you're supposed to be thankful to be there with a roof over your head, right?

Johnson: Yeah, and I had been there throughout the summer because our off-road shop was based up there, so I had spent a lot of time there (laughing).

5. What's your favorite food?

Johnson: Man, that's tough. Do you mean cuisine, or just like a meal? I'd say a cheeseburger from In N Out Burger. It's hard to beat that.

Q: So you love tripping to California, Phoenix and Sonoma -- whatever?

Johnson: Oh yeah. At West Coast races, not only do I get my Mexican food, I get In N Out.

6. If you had to choose, would it be being honest, or being nice?

Johnson: Honest.

Q: You feel like that comes around better?

Johnson: Yep. You can sleep well at night, and one thing that I've learned, is that you're not going to be nice to everyone, unfortunately.

Some NASCAR fans take their dislike of Jeff Gordon out on Jimmie Johnson. Credit: Autostock

That's just the way life is, and especially with my chosen profession, I've rubbed somebody the wrong way before without even intending to.

So being nice is a great add-on -- but being honest I think you can gain more respect and I think it's better to live life that way.

7. What's your fondest childhood memory?

Johnson: I would say Christmas -- and I can't remember the year -- but I came out into the living room and we had two video games sitting there, that Santa Claus had brought us.

And my brother and I went crazy over them. I think we also had some remote controlled cars and stuff, but that was the one big Christmas that I remember.

I mean they're all great Christmases -- but that one, for whatever reason, seeing those video games in our living room -- that really did it for me.

8. Politically correct is OK with this one, but what would your dream date be? Where and with whom?

Johnson: Really, I'd have to back up to one of the first vacations that I took with my wife, Chandra. We went to St. Bart's, which is a beautiful little island down in the Caribbean that is really a romantic place.

The food is great, the beaches are great and it's warm weather so everybody is in their bathing suits running around. That was the right way to do it.

9. Racing and pranks seem to go hand in hand, so what's your worst prank, either perpetrated by you, or done to you?

Johnson: I don't know if I've ever really been thoroughly involved in any pranks.

Q: Or would it be something that you've witnessed?

Johnson: Well I've watched Sterling (Marlin) do pranks. And this scares me to see this go on.

But Sterling throws these quarter sticks of dynamite, either in rental cars or, when somebody's in the bathroom at a test session he'll throw them in the bathroom with the guys (laughing).

I've literally seen crewmen running out of the bathroom stalls with their pants down around their ankles, scared to death (laughing).

Q: Now that's an old-school prankster, no?

Johnson: Yeah, that is (laughing) -- and when those things go off, they're big.

10. Finally, what would you consider your "Welcome to NASCAR" moment?

Johnson: I would say, when I signed on and was driving for Jeff (Gordon) -- I want to say that it was at Darlington, for whatever reason, but that would not have been right when I signed on.

But that's just been the way it's been of late -- and at tracks where people don't like Jeff Gordon, they boo me because I'm his driver.

So I went to Darlington, and there were people hanging on the fence screaming that they wished I was dead -- and I was like, 'Whoa, wait a second -- I'm just the driver!'

Now, this was my first year, and four races into the season, so I couldn't believe what was going on.

So that was my welcome to NASCAR, because now for whatever reason I'm being booed pretty heavily by the fans, so I guess that was my indirect welcome to NASCAR.