FONTANA, Calif. -- Jimmie Johnson ain't going anywhere, folks.
The Hendrick Motorsports mainstay said he viewed news that longtime sponsor Lowe’s will depart sponsorship of his No. 48 Chevrolet in 2019 as “an opportunity” to find a new sponsor who will support a proven, seven-time NASCAR champion, and reiterated that retirement isn't anywhere on his 42-year-old horizon.
RELATED: Jimmie to have new sponsor
“Oh, the desire to keep racing is absolutely there," Johnson said Friday at Auto Club Speedway. "Races, championships, and being a part of this great sport of ours; I’m going to be around for a while. I’m excited about that. ... This is really a unique opportunity. It’s a great learning and growing opportunity for myself. When I started at age 25 and Lowe’s came on board, it was an entirely different environment.”
Johnson has partnered with Lowe’s for 18 years. He thanked his longtime sponsor for its support and said he has already been “heavily involved” in the search for a new partner.
“First of all, what a run to have an 18-year relationship with such an amazing company," he said. "The friendships, the relationships, the way we’ve been able to deliver to their marketing efforts, the history we’ve made in our own sport, the chance I had to even drive a Cup car because of them. There are so many levels to it that I am very, very thankful for and proud of. Of course, I wish we could finish it out together, but that’s not the circumstance. But then, to look forward, I’m very optimistic about the future and myself and our race team."
RELATED: Johnson's career statsThe news is a shakeup to one of the most consistent dynamics in stock car racing over the past decade and a half-plus -- in sports, it's always jarring to see a long-tenured athlete don a new uniform/fire suit, a la Joe Montana in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey or Willie Mays in blue and orange New York Mets garb -- but Johnson made sure to point out that he sees the future prospects of stock car racing to be in a good spot.
“I see our sport growing," he said. "I see many new sponsors coming into Hendrick Motorsports. I see a returning sponsor coming to NASCAR. I’ve seen full grandstands. It’s been an exciting start to the season. I really don’t feel it has a reflection on the sport. It’s a business decision that Lowe’s needed to make and that stuff happens. ... There’s great optimism that we’ll land a sponsor and really be able to provide for whoever that might be."
MORE: See photos from 'Seven-Time's' wins
And as for why the Johnson, the oldest full-time Monster Energy Series driver, doesn’t view this as an opening to announce this might be his final year of competition?
“I’m not done, man," Johnson laughed. "Do you want me to go away?
“I guess maybe it’s the eternal optimist that I am. I have more to do and I enjoy the process and Hendrick is home and retirement hasn’t been on my mind. I want to win. I want to win an eighth championship. ... I’m the elder statesman in a company with three young guys. If I was to have this be the end, put Hendrick Motorsports in a very awkward position and I don’t know. There are just a lot of different ways I could look at it and say that it’s the absolute wrong time.
"But I guess at the end of the day it’s really my desire to compete and to compete at a high level. I’m not done yet.”
The race to eight continues, no matter what fire suit he'll be wearing.