CONCORD, N.C. — Contract extensions for six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and primary sponsor Lowe’s are expected to be announced before the start of this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick said Tuesday that contract extensions would be finalized within the next week.
“It’s just a matter of rolling it out; probably next week,” Hendrick said following a groundbreaking ceremony for a 45,000-square-foot Axalta Customer Experience Center to be located on the grounds of the Hendrick Motorsports campus.
Johnson, 39, is attempting to become just the third driver in series history to capture seven premier series titles, a mark currently shared by Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt.
A four-time winner this season, Johnson is currently the top seed in this year’s Chase with one race remaining to determine the 16-team field, this weekend’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).
With 74 career victories, Johnson is only two short of matching Earnhardt’s 76-win total. He has won multiple races every year since his first full season, including a career-high 10 in 2007. His five consecutive championships from ’06-’10 is a series record.
A former off-road racer, Johnson has been paired with Knaus since Hendrick elevated the El Cajon, California, native to a full-time Sprint Cup ride in 2002.
Knaus began his NASCAR career in 1991, working with driver Stanley Smith. He moved to HMS in ’92 as part of the buildup for the debut of the organization’s No. 24 team with driver Jeff Gordon and crew chief Ray Evernham.
After winning two championships with Gordon and Evernham (in ’95 and ’97), Knaus departed for a brief stay at Dale Earnhardt Inc. He reunited with Evernham to help with the return of Dodge to NASCAR in 2000 and the following year he worked as crew chief for driver Stacy Compton and team owner Mark Melling.
By season’s end, he had returned to Hendrick as crew chief to oversee the No. 48 entry with Johnson as driver and Lowe’s as the team’s primary sponsor.
The three principals have been together ever since.
HMS also fields NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries for drivers Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.
Gordon, a four-time series champion, will retire from driving at the end of 2015 and be replaced by defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott beginning next season.
In late 2011, officials announced a five-year contract extension that will keep Earnhardt Jr. in the fold through at least 2017.
Kahne’s contract was renewed late last year and runs through the end of 2018.