JOLIET, Ill. -- Pink and white balloons floated outside the No. 48 hauler in the garage area, where Jimmie Johnson showed friends cell-phone photos of his 2-day-old daughter. The reigning NASCAR champion appeared in the media center a touch groggy from lack of sleep, and still wearing his hospital bracelet around one wrist.

Johnson and wife, Chandra, celebrated the delivery of their six-pound, 14-ounce first child on Wednesday, rendering moot all the contingency plans the No. 48 team had to put Aric Almirola in the car in case Chandra went into labor while Johnson was competing at Chicagoland Speedway. Johnson is commuting between the race track and a Charlotte-area hospital, trying to spend as much time as possible with his wife and newborn -- who is as yet nameless, and being called "Baby J."

"Wednesday was the absolute best day of my life," Johnson said Friday. "The last two days have been incredible. Not a ton of sleep. I just got up from a nap, so if I have bed-head or sound not quite awake, I apologize. But it's just incredible. I'm so thankful that she is healthy and doing amazing, and Chani's well. I'm looking forward to getting Chani home Sunday after the race, bringing the baby home. I hope we have a name by then. I think we have to before we can get her home. The clock is ticking."

The news buoyed the mood of the entire No. 48 team. "It's a neat deal," crew chief Chad Knaus said. "She has all of her fingers, all of her toes. She's beautiful, extremely healthy. Chani is doing great. Jimmie, of course, he's a big sucker, so he's happy to have her here. He's walking on air. It's pretty neat."

Johnson spent the previous two nights at the hospital, and flew to the Chicagoland track on Friday morning. After Sprint Cup qualifying, he intended to fly back to North Carolina to relieve Chandra's mother, who was keeping watch over mom and baby in his absence. The plan then is to go home, get enough sleep for Saturday night's race, visit the hospital once again Saturday morning, and spend as much time as possible with his family before returning to Joliet.

"We're very fortunate that the schedule is a night race," Johnson said, "and we'll have the flexibility to come to and from and allow me to get home each time." (Continued)