“So Happy For That Guy” – Jimmie Johnson Reveals the Biggest Takeaway from His Final NASCAR Race

When the 2020 Cup Series finale concluded at the Phoenix Raceway, one of the biggest talking points was Jimmie Johnson. This is his final NASCAR race as a full-time driver and signifies the end of an era. However, he elected to be unselfish, because he also knew that a new Cup Series champion has been crowned.

Speaking about his takeaways from his final race, Jimmie Johnson redirected it to the subject of newly-crowned Chase Elliott.

He said, “Chase Elliott won his first championship, I’m so happy for that guy.

“Great friend, great family, I’ve been friends with his mom and dad for a lot of years. I can recall going snowboarding with Bill on a mountain in Colorado. Chase was maybe 8 years old, super quiet, wouldn’t say much.”

Johnson was proud to watch Chase grow up, and he even offered the youngster some advice. This is why he believes that it should be more about Elliott winning the championship than anything else.

How did Jimmie Johnson perform in his final race?

While Elliott led the Championship four drivers, Johnson finished as the best of the rest, in fifth place. It wasn’t quite the last hurrah that he would have liked or deserved. However, it still shows that the 45-year-old is bowing out on a high note.

He is so beloved in the sport that he got a standing ovation from spectators during the pre-race introduction. The NASCAR veteran then proceeded to take photos and exchange hugs with other drivers as he made his way along pit row.

Additionally, he also briefly led the race when the drivers ahead pitted for fresh tires.

With his NASCAR career officially wrapped up, Johnson can look forward to the IndyCar Series and his March debut with Chip Ganassi Racing. His first race as an IndyCar driver will be at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix.

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