A few years ago, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson sat down with Sports Illustrated. He was speaking just after that year’s Daytona 500, a race that he won. Apparently, it transpired that the viewership ratings had shot up by 30%, which was an enormous boost for the stock car series. Naturally, the then 5-time Cup Series champion was asked about the reason behind the rating increase. Of course, Johnson couldn’t help but brag, “That’s all due to the #48 car winning the race”. The Hendrick Motorsports [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/hendrick-motorsports/] star’s triumph was his second-ever Daytona 500 [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/daytona-500/] victory. His first one came all the way back in 2006, but since then he endured a rough streak all the way until 2013. READ MORE: Ahead of Second Coming in NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson Will be Keen to Emulate One Hendrick Teammate and Avoid the Fate of Another Teammate [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-ahead-of-second-coming-in-nascar-jimmie-johnson-will-be-keen-to-emulate-one-hendrick-teammate-and-avoid-the-fate-of-another-teammate/] JIMMIE JOHNSON TOOK A SLY DIG AT NASCAR TRAILBLAZER DANICA PATRICK The 2013 NASCAR Cup [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/] season also was the first full-time season for a certain Danica Patrick [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/danica-patrick/]. Admittedly, she made her debut in 2012 at Daytona but ended up crashing out. The following year was a lot kinder to her, as she managed to finish in a respectable 8th place. Jimmie Johnson [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1241922997.jpg]TORONTO, ON – JULY 15 – Chip Ganassi Racing driver Jimmie Johnson (48) of United States. After a two year hiatus, Torontos annual race, the Honda Indy, roars back to the streets around the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto. July 15, 2022. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) To this day, it would remain her best-ever finish at the Daytona 500, while her best-ever finish was 6th place at Atlanta in 2014. Johnson [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/jimmie-johnson/] shut down any talks that Patrick’s fine form during that race affected the ratings positively. He quipped [https://vault.si.com/vault/2013/03/04/just-my-type], “Absolutely. There was this Danica girl in the race, but that had nothing to do with it. It was all the #48.” WATCH THIS STORY: Danica Patrick Urges Her Fans to “Listen and Speak Accordingly” [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-danica-patrick-urges-her-fans-to-listen-and-speak-accordingly/] On a more serious note, he was very excited to see Patrick compete full-time. According to him, her presence definitely brought in diverse casual NASCAR fans. He insisted that gender did not matter in the car, and the focus was on what the driver was capable of. Johnson observed Patrick’s growth as a race car driver and had high hopes for her. He acknowledged her IndyCar stint, admitting that some tracks would be challenging, but she had proven that she was a competent driver. 

Following the 2013 Daytona 500, which he won, Jimmie Johnson was in a very
cheeky mood as he took a dig at then rookie driver Danica Patrick

Dhruv George is a senior Motorsports author for EssentiallySports, having
authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR,
Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the
Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1
driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino. He has been an ardent
follower of motorsports sport since 2001, holding Carlos Sainz Jr. and McLaren
in high regard.

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Dhruv_George.png

Dhruv George

YouTube video player

iframe

strong

figcaption

figure

{"1":0}{"1":18,"2":{"2":{"1":2,"2":1136076},"9":1}}

span

“That Danica Girl Had Nothing to do With It”: Jimmie Johnson Poked Fun at Danica
Patrick in the Cheesiest Way After Daytona 500 Win

What Is Left of Denny Hamlin’s Depleting Core After Having to Deal With a Nearly
$70 Billion Worth Sponsor Loss?

NASCAR Rumors: Corey LaJoie’s Cup Future Dependent on ‘$’ Amid Rick Ware’s Hopes
of Tony Stewart’s SHR Replay

NASCAR Rumor: Handed $25,000 Fine, Xfinity Star Could Replace Chevy’s Rejected
Prodigy

Aggrieved Fans Deem NASCAR’s MPD Awards “Pretty Much a Joke” Amid Piling Reports
of Masked Chase Elliott Favoritism

“No Way in Hell”: Tony Stewart Discloses a Major Roadblock After His Baby Boy’s
Birth

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the Daytona 500?</strong></h2>
For any NASCAR fan, the Daytona 500 race holds a special place in their hearts. The most prestigious race in the Cup Series, a win at the revered race bestows limitless repute and honor to its victor. Often referred to as the unofficial "birthplace of speed", Daytona Beach, where the race has been held for over six decades, has a long and storied history. Currently, it features on the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/">NASCAR Cup Series</a> schedule as one of the four crown-jewel races and also features the highest winning prize among all Cup races.

[caption id="attachment_1627382" align="alignnone" width="1"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1627382" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1024835900h.jpg" alt="Daytona 500" width="1" height="1" /> Daytona International Speedway plays host to the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series for the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, FL, USA. Daytona Beach United States of America - ZUMAc04_ 20230219_zaf_c04_386 Copyright: xWalterxGxArcexSrxActionxSportsxPx[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Origins of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
While many stories about the origin of Daytona races date back to 1903 when two men challenged each other to a race to decide whose horseless carriage was the fastest, the sturdy stock car race at the iconic location came into being in 1959, courtesy of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. And on February 22, in front of 41,000 people, the revered race planted its seed to mega-stardom. The inaugural race was the only instance when both hard top and convertible vehicles were allowed to race. Since then, the Daytona 500 has been much-awaited by stock car racing fans every year.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2632995 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/DoBedrfXoAAjZ5P-1.jpeg" alt="" width="3000" height="2400" />

And while the Daytona Beach, Florida location is already iconic, the track that hosts the Daytona 500 race is just as well-thought out and executed. Wanting to give fans an edge-of-the-seat thriller, Bill Frances Sr brainstormed alongside engineers to create a track that would have the highest banking, allowing cars to reach topmost speed. And soon the prospect presented itself in the form of a tri-oval with 31 degrees banking at turns and 18 degrees at the start/finish lines. With 2.5 mile in length, today, the race lasts 500 miles/200 laps.

The first-ever Daytona 500, called the <b>1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona</b> back then, saw 59 cars competing.Â The winning purse of the inaugural race had a steep value of $53, 050, out of which Lee Petty took home $19,050 for his victory while the runner-up Beauchamp secured $7,650.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: 400"><strong>Why is the Daytona 500 called â€˜The Great American Raceâ€™</strong></span></h2>
As one of the most iconic spectator sports events in America, the Daytona 500 definitely takes the cake when it comes to being NASCAR's crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me. Throughout history, the event has often been compared to the Super-Bowl, the crown jewel of the NFL. However, many NASCAR enthusiasts haven't been too keen about that description and have placed the crown-jewel race way above the Super Bowl.

The Daytona 500 has also been synonymous with the President's Day weekend in every NASCAR fan's heart. From 1968 to 2011, the race was held on President's Day weekend every year. However, NASCAR decided to change that in 2012 with news of an NFL schedule revamp doing the rounds. As per reports, NFL was planning to expand its 18-game regular season and as per the new roster, the Super Bowl was to be held on the same day as the Daytona 500. Sensing a dent on viewership numbers, the stock car racing organization move the race. However, as the NFL season-expansion plans failed to reach fruition, the Daytona 500 was moved to its original calendar spot. Now, that's definitely a win-win!

While the winning purse of the Daytona 500 is already a stuff of legends, sitting atop with the largest return, the trophy being awarded to the victors isn't any less prized either. Called the Harley J Earl trophy, the prize has been named after legendary automobile designer, Harley Earl, who was also a close friend of Bill France Sr and a General Motors executive back in the day. Earl is most significantly known for being the Father of the Corvette. He has also been credited for designing the Firebird I prototype. The Daytona 500 race is full of prestige and perks for sure.

One other aspect that the race victor gets to experience is their car being showcased at the Daytona 500 experience, for one year in its race-winning condition. For the uninitiated, the Daytona 500 Experience is a museum and gallery situated next to the Daytona International Speedway.

[caption id="attachment_1948603" align="alignnone" width="1800"]<img class="wp-image-1948603 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0004296892h.jpg" alt="Daytona 500" width="1800" height="1200" /> Teilnehmerfeld der Daytona 500, v.li.: Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers und David Stremme - (ZUMAse4)[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Highlights of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The inaugural Daytona 500 race in 1959 was won by Richard Petty's father, the legendary Lee Petty. The patriarch of the NASCAR royalty family clinched victory driving a 1959 Oldsmobile for Newton Chappell at the inaugural event outperforming Johnny Beauchamp. Charley Griffith, representing Red Bank, finished P3, while Cotton Owens and Joe Weatherly wrapped up the Top-5 positions.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2491357 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/lee-petty.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1262" />

&nbsp;

Lee Petty's son isn't much far behind on the Daytona 500 record book either. With seven wins, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/richard-petty/">Richard Petty</a> sits atop the most-wins list at the venue. What makes his feat even more legendary is the fact that Petty managed to clinch four of those titles in a single decade, in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1979. The rest of his victories came in 1964, 1966 and 1981.

While the initial years of the Daytona 500 didn't see much vehicle policing, it soon became apparent that certain rules and restrictions would have to be put in place. One of the biggest instances of a change came in 1988 when former stock car racing driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison's car went airborne and hit the catch fence at 200 mph at Talladega in May, the previous year. As a result, restrictor plates were made mandatory in hopes that they would stunt speed, which in turn would stop vehicles from going airborne.

Speaking of Bobby Allison, he also became the oldest driver to win the race at 50 years, 2 months and 11 days, in 1988. On the other hand, Trevor Bayne is the youngest Daytona 500 winner. Bayne was 20 years and 1 day old when he won the event in 2011.

Another revamp that hit NASCAR and the Daytona 500 was during the 50th anniversary of the Daytona 500 race, when 'Cars of Tomorrow' debuted for the first time in the stock car racing circuit. While the name might throw some people off, 'Cars of Tomorrow' simply entailed that the same roll cage, frame and body would be used in all kinds of race tracks as opposed to how crew members would need to build different cars for different tracks like superspeedways, road courses and short tracks.

The Daytona 500, being such a grand event, has often been associated with high-profile names. In a bid to make the event even more exciting, every year, the organizers bring in popular figures to serve as a Grand Marshal. While 'Captain America' famed Chris Evans graced the event in 2014, Nicholas cage stopped by in 2007. Even former US presidents Donald Trump and George W Busch served as the event's grand marshal in 2020 and 2004, respectively.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Â Qualifying Format of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
Currently, the Daytona 500 sees 40 cars competing, out of which 36 sports belong to drivers whose teams have their own charters. The rest of the 4 spots, which are referred to as open cars and constitute teams that do not own a charter.

In its 65 year history, the Daytona 500 has had many revamps to its qualifying format. From two timed laps, the better of two laps, to the average of two laps, the crown jewel race has explored several avenues to decide its starting grid. However, what stuck and is currently in place is a two-race qualifying. The first race is a single-car qualifying where each driver takes up one lap. The Top 10 drivers from that round advance to the second round where their order in the main event starting grid is determined. The single-car runs decide the front row of the Daytona 500. They also decide the lineup for the qualifying races also referred to asÂ <em>"the duels".Â </em>The starting grid is eventually decided on the basis of the duels.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>The Black Sunday of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The Daytona 500 was perhaps one of <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/dale-earnhardt/">Dale Earnhardt</a>'s greatest achievements. After chasing an elusive win at the track for about two decades of his career, the driver finally succeeded in finish P1 in 1998. However, just three years later, the same race would claim his life. It all happened on February 18, 2001, when the driver was competing in the final lap of the race. <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-nerve-wracking-crashes-that-changed-nascar-forever-edition-five-dale-earnhardt/">The driver slammed head-first into the retaining wall</a> after contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. The driver had suffered from a basilar skull fracture and had died instantly upon contact. Earnardt's death triggered a wave of safety improvements in stock cars and are seen even today.

[caption id="attachment_2105958" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-2105958 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1029986512h-e1699811493626.jpg" alt="Dale Earnhardt Sr" width="1920" height="1080" /> US PRESSWIRE Sports-Historical Unknown date Daytona Beach, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Winston Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Sr 3 waits in his car in the garage area at the Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xUSAxTODAYxSportsx 5145564<br />Image Credits - Imago[/caption]

&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>The changes of the name of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The Daytona 500 has seen a plethora of name changes till date. While the first-ever edition of the race was called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona, the name was changed the very next year to the Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes. The race, then, went on to be known as the Daytona 500 by STP from 1991 to 1993. On the year of Dale Earnhardt's passing in 2001, it was known as the Daytona 500 by Dodge. In 2007, a new name was coined yet again and this time, the race was called Daytona 500 by Toyota. From 1961 to 1990, 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2006, the race was called Daytona 500 and since 2008, that's the very name that has stuck around.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Daytona 500

What is the Daytona 500? For any NASCAR fan, the Daytona 500 race holds a special place in their hearts. The most prestigious race in the Cup Series, a win at the revered race bestows limitless repute and honor to its victor. Often referred to as the unofficial &#8220;birthplace of speed&#8221;, Daytona Beach, where the race has been held for over six decades, has a long and storied history. Currently, it features on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule as one of the four crown-jewel races and also features the highest winning prize among all Cup races. Daytona International Speedway plays host to the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series for the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, FL, USA. Daytona Beach United States of America &#8211; ZUMAc04_ 20230219_zaf_c04_386 Copyright: xWalterxGxArcexSrxActionxSportsxPx Origins of the Daytona 500 While many stories about the origin of Daytona races date back to 1903 when two men challenged each other to a race to decide whose horseless carriage was the fastest, the sturdy stock car race at the iconic location came into being in 1959, courtesy of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. And on February 22, in front of 41,000 people, the revered race planted its seed to mega-stardom. The inaugural race was the only instance when both hard top and convertible vehicles were allowed to race. Since then, the Daytona 500 has been much-awaited by stock car racing fans every year. And while the Daytona Beach, Florida location is already iconic, the track that hosts the Daytona 500 race is just as well-thought out and executed. Wanting to give fans an edge-of-the-seat thriller, Bill Frances Sr brainstormed alongside engineers to create a track that would have the highest banking, allowing cars to reach topmost speed. And soon the prospect presented itself in the form of a tri-oval with 31 degrees banking at turns and 18 degrees at the start/finish lines. With 2.5 mile in length, today, the race lasts 500 miles/200 laps. The first-ever Daytona 500, called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona back then, saw 59 cars competing.Â The winning purse of the inaugural race had a steep value of $53, 050, out of which Lee Petty took home $19,050 for his victory while the runner-up Beauchamp secured $7,650. Why is the Daytona 500 called â€˜The Great American Raceâ€™ As one of the most iconic spectator sports events in America, the Daytona 500 definitely takes the cake when it comes to being NASCAR&#8217;s crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me. Throughout history, the event has often been compared to the Super-Bowl, the crown jewel of the NFL. However, many NASCAR enthusiasts haven&#8217;t been too keen about that description and have placed the crown-jewel race way above the Super Bowl. The Daytona 500 has also been synonymous with the President&#8217;s Day weekend in every NASCAR fan&#8217;s heart. From 1968 to 2011, the race was held on President&#8217;s Day weekend every year. However, NASCAR decided to change that in 2012 with news of an NFL schedule revamp doing the rounds. As per reports, NFL was planning to expand its 18-game regular season and as per the new roster, the Super Bowl was to be held on the same day as the Daytona 500. Sensing a dent on viewership numbers, the stock car racing organization move the race. However, as the NFL season-expansion plans failed to reach fruition, the Daytona 500 was moved to its original calendar spot. Now, that&#8217;s definitely a win-win! While the winning purse of the Daytona 500 is already a stuff of legends, sitting atop with the largest return, the trophy being awarded to the victors isn&#8217;t any less prized either. Called the Harley J Earl trophy, the prize has been named after legendary automobile designer, Harley Earl, who was also a close friend of Bill France Sr and a General Motors executive back in the day. Earl is most significantly known for being the Father of the Corvette. He has also been credited for designing the Firebird I prototype. The Daytona 500 race is full of prestige and perks for sure. One other aspect that the race victor gets to experience is their car being showcased at the Daytona 500 experience, for one year in its race-winning condition. For the uninitiated, the Daytona 500 Experience is a museum and gallery situated next to the Daytona International Speedway. Teilnehmerfeld der Daytona 500, v.li.: Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers und David Stremme &#8211; (ZUMAse4) Highlights of the Daytona 500 The inaugural Daytona 500 race in 1959 was won by Richard Petty&#8217;s father, the legendary Lee Petty. The patriarch of the NASCAR royalty family clinched victory driving a 1959 Oldsmobile for Newton Chappell at the inaugural event outperforming Johnny Beauchamp. Charley Griffith, representing Red Bank, finished P3, while Cotton Owens and Joe Weatherly wrapped up the Top-5 positions. &nbsp; Lee Petty&#8217;s son isn&#8217;t much far behind on the Daytona 500 record book either. With seven wins, Richard Petty sits atop the most-wins list at the venue. What makes his feat even more legendary is the fact that Petty managed to clinch four of those titles in a single decade, in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1979. The rest of his victories came in 1964, 1966 and 1981. While the initial years of the Daytona 500 didn&#8217;t see much vehicle policing, it soon became apparent that certain rules and restrictions would have to be put in place. One of the biggest instances of a change came in 1988 when former stock car racing driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison&#8217;s car went airborne and hit the catch fence at 200 mph at Talladega in May, the previous year. As a result, restrictor plates were made mandatory in hopes that they would stunt speed, which in turn would stop vehicles from going airborne. Speaking of Bobby Allison, he also became the oldest driver to win the race at 50 years, 2 months and 11 days, in 1988. On the other hand, Trevor Bayne is the youngest Daytona 500 winner. Bayne was 20 years and 1 day old when he won the event in 2011. Another revamp that hit NASCAR and the Daytona 500 was during the 50th anniversary of the Daytona 500 race, when &#8216;Cars of Tomorrow&#8217; debuted for the first time in the stock car racing circuit. While the name might throw some people off, &#8216;Cars of Tomorrow&#8217; simply entailed that the same roll cage, frame and body would be used in all kinds of race tracks as opposed to how crew members would need to build different cars for different tracks like superspeedways, road courses and short tracks. The Daytona 500, being such a grand event, has often been associated with high-profile names. In a bid to make the event even more exciting, every year, the organizers bring in popular figures to serve as a Grand Marshal. While &#8216;Captain America&#8217; famed Chris Evans graced the event in 2014, Nicholas cage stopped by in 2007. Even former US presidents Donald Trump and George W Busch served as the event&#8217;s grand marshal in 2020 and 2004, respectively. Â Qualifying Format of the Daytona 500 Currently, the Daytona 500 sees 40 cars competing, out of which 36 sports belong to drivers whose teams have their own charters. The rest of the 4 spots, which are referred to as open cars and constitute teams that do not own a charter. In its 65 year history, the Daytona 500 has had many revamps to its qualifying format. From two timed laps, the better of two laps, to the average of two laps, the crown jewel race has explored several avenues to decide its starting grid. However, what stuck and is currently in place is a two-race qualifying. The first race is a single-car qualifying where each driver takes up one lap. The Top 10 drivers from that round advance to the second round where their order in the main event starting grid is determined. The single-car runs decide the front row of the Daytona 500. They also decide the lineup for the qualifying races also referred to asÂ &#8220;the duels&#8221;.Â The starting grid is eventually decided on the basis of the duels. The Black Sunday of the Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 was perhaps one of Dale Earnhardt&#8216;s greatest achievements. After chasing an elusive win at the track for about two decades of his career, the driver finally succeeded in finish P1 in 1998. However, just three years later, the same race would claim his life. It all happened on February 18, 2001, when the driver was competing in the final lap of the race. The driver slammed head-first into the retaining wall after contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. The driver had suffered from a basilar skull fracture and had died instantly upon contact. Earnardt&#8217;s death triggered a wave of safety improvements in stock cars and are seen even today. US PRESSWIRE Sports-Historical Unknown date Daytona Beach, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Winston Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Sr 3 waits in his car in the garage area at the Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xUSAxTODAYxSportsx 5145564Image Credits &#8211; Imago &nbsp; The changes of the name of the Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 has seen a plethora of name changes till date. While the first-ever edition of the race was called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona, the name was changed the very next year to the Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes. The race, then, went on to be known as the Daytona 500 by STP from 1991 to 1993. On the year of Dale Earnhardt&#8217;s passing in 2001, it was known as the Daytona 500 by Dodge. In 2007, a new name was coined yet again and this time, the race was called Daytona 500 by Toyota. From 1961 to 1990, 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2006, the race was called Daytona 500 and since 2008, that&#8217;s the very name that has stuck around. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Daytona 500 Archives

Daytona 500 Archives - EssentiallySports

EssentiallySports

https://www.staging.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/es_circle_black_logo.png

NASCAR

title

Following the 2013 Daytona 500, which he won, Jimmie Johnson was in a very cheeky mood as he took a dig at then rookie driver Danica Patrick

description

link

'That Danica Girl Had Nothing to do with it": Jimmie Johnson Poked Fun at Danica Patrick in the Cheesiest Way After Daytona 500 Win

https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-that-danica-girl-had-nothing-to-do-with-it-jimmie-johnson-poked-fun-at-danica-patrick-in-the-cheesiest-way-after-daytona-500-win/

https://www.facebook.com/essentiallysports

https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014-Kansas-II-CUP-Jimmie-Johnson-Danica-Patrick-CIA.jpg

twitter:card

twitter:creator

twitter:site

twitter:label1

twitter:data1

script

<h2><b>Danica Patrick Net Worth 2023 (Update)</b></h2>
In a male-dominated sport, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/danica-patrick/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Danica Patrick</a> has surely been successful in making a big name for herself. Without a doubt, she remains one of the most successful women in the history of American open-wheel car racing. After spending almost two decades in racing, Patrick is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $80 million as per CelebrityNetWorth.

Interestingly, she created a lot of buzz when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, becoming the only woman to win in an IndyCar series race. During her racing days, Patrick reportedly earned a stunning $10 million annually with her base salary estimated to be around $7.5 million.

[caption id="attachment_1242943" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1242943 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-452243656.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1278" /> LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: NASCAR driver Danica Patrick attends The 2014 ESPYS at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)[/caption]

Over the years, a lot of her income has come through her sponsors. Some of her major endorsement brands include Tissot, Chevrolet, Hot Wheels, GoDaddy.com, Lyft, AirTran Airways, Coca-Cola, Motorola, etc. While a clear value earned through sponsors is not available, there is a good reason she is termed as one of the 'Most marketable drivers' in NASCAR.

Post-retirement, the 41-year-old has opened up plenty of avenues to add to her net worth. She launched a clothing line in 2017, 'Warrior by Danica Patrick'. In addition to this, she also has a Californian Vineyard to her name that produces Somnium Wine. Also, she has a podcast entitled 'Danica Patrick Pretty Intense' which has gained popularity over time.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Early Life and Parents</b></h2>
Born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick grew up in the town of Roscoe, Illinois along with her younger sister Brooke. As she comes from a racing family, the former IndyCar racer needed very little motivation to be enticed into the sport.

Having started go-kart racing at the age of 10, she moved to Britain after six years to race in open-wheel cars. In order to do so, she dropped out of high school midway with the consent of her parents. She spent three years in the United Kingdom as she drove for Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford, finishing ninth in the 1999 Formula Vauxhall Championship.

A year later, she came in second at the 2000 Formula Ford Festival at Brands which helped her earn the Gorsline Scholarship Award. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, Patrick had to return to the States in 2001.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Family and Personal Life</b></h2>
In 1982, Patrick was born to Beverly Ann and Terry Joseph Patrick Jr. Interestingly, the latter raced snowmobiles, motocross, and midget cars in his career. Patrick has a younger sister named Brooke who is a pediatric physical therapist.

As far as her dating history is concerned, in 2002, Patrick met physical therapist Paul Edward Hospenthal as she was getting treated for a knee injury suffered in a yoga session. They clicked and eventually got married in 2005. Despite the 17-year age difference between the two, their marriage stood strong until 2013 which is when they got divorced.

[caption id="attachment_1148849" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1148849" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1001950672.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick and Aaron Rodgers" width="1920" height="1409" /> SANTA MONICA, CA - JULY 19: Race car driver Danica Patrick (L) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers attend Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2018 at Barker Hangar on July 19, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic)[/caption]

In 2012, Patrick started dating NASCAR driver <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/ricky-stenhouse-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ricky Stenhouse Jr</a>. Unfortunately, they broke up after five years of dating in 2017. The Wisconsin-born driver later moved on and started dating NFL player <a href="http://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/aaron-rodgers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aaron Rodgers</a> in January 2018.

They had a good relationship for over two years until July 2020 when <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-nfl-news-ex-nascar-superstar-danica-patrick-felt-intimidated-by-aaron-rodgers-before-their-public-breakup-heres-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they went different ways</a>. Almost nine months later, Patrick started dating Freshly co-founder Carter Comstock. After almost a year together, their split was confirmed in March 2022. Post that, Patrick's present relationship status remains unknown.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Racing Career</b></h2>
After returning to the United States in 2002, Patrick competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series for a bit before racing in the Toyota Atlantic Series for two years. After finishing fourth in the Series in 2004, she earned a chance to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Her first stint in the IndyCar series came with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. She took three pole positions that season.

Two years later, Patrick joined Andretti Green Racing in 2007. In April 2008, she registered the first big win of her career in the Firestone IndyCar 300 race in Motegi, Japan. However, at the start of the 2010 season, she partially raced in NASCAR's lower-tier Nationwide Series. It was only in 2012 that she competed full-time in NASCAR, participating in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.

In 2013, Patrick grabbed a lot of attention after winning the pole position in the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/daytona-500/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daytona 500</a> race. However, she decided to retire after years with her last race being 2018 Indy 500. Unfortunately, she crashed during lap 68 of her final race.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Wins and Achievements</b></h2>
As mentioned earlier, Patrick did a stunning job in her career to stand out in a male-dominated sport. When she qualified for the Indy 500, she became the fourth woman to do so. In fact, she even lead 19 laps and finished fourth in her first-ever  <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/indianapolis-motor-speedway/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indianapolis 500</a>. By doing so, she earned the right to be the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the race. She was also named Rookie of the Year in 2005.

One of Patrick's most iconic wins has to be the one in the IndyCar series Indy Japan 300 race in 2008. Then, she became the first woman ever to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series. From 2005 to 2010, she earned the bragging rights for winning the Most Popular Driver award in the IndyCar Series.

[caption id="attachment_1290997" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1290997" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-980196678.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1338" /> INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 25: Danica Patrick practices for the Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)[/caption]

In the NASCAR arena, she won the Most Popular Driver award in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, her <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-we-would-have-messed-that-story-all-up-jeff-gordon-on-losing-to-never-seen-before-danica-patrick-at-2013-daytona-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best accomplishment</a> in NASCAR would be winning the pole position in the 2013 Daytona 500 by setting the fastest qualifying lap. In fact, she also set the record for the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the "Great American Race" as she finished in eighth place.

Her <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASCAR Cup Series</a> achievements didn't end there. Patrick beat past Janet Guthrie to break the record for the most top-ten finished by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series with seven such finishes to her name. It is truly amazing what she achieved on the tracks. Interestingly, she has been doing some noble work even off the tracks.
<h2><b>Charity and Foundation</b></h2>
In 2021, Patrick was keen on participating in an honorable cause for the Light Foundation. The man behind the foundation was former <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/new-england-patriots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Englands Patriots</a> offensive player Matt Light. Along with his wife Susie, Light aims to help young people develop skills, values and a mindset that will help them build a solid future.

Given Patrick's popularity and zeal to help society, she participated in the 125th Boston Marathon. Her sister Brooke also took part with her as both sisters successfully completed the run. All the athletes involves in the marathon raised more than $400,000 for their youth leadership programs.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s House</b></h2>
Patrick did a pretty good job in making big bucks during her race career. Using those hard earnings, she owns an amazing 8,300-square-foot mansion in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a cosmic theme, one reason why Patrick likes to call her the "Jetsons House".

She purchase the mansion in 2007 citing the seven-car garage capacity. However, she later realized how the wine cellar could hold up to 1,000 bottles and she grew in love with this feature. Additionally, the house is made of concrete sheathed walls and disc shapes throughout which includes the breakfast bar in the open-plan kitchen.

It is not just the indoors but even the outdoor setup of the mansion that is quite fascinating. With Arizona's famed Camelback Mountain visible from Patrick's house, it truly is a sight to behold.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Podcast</b></h2>
Post-retirement, Patrick has invested a big chunk of her time in her podcast "Pretty Intense". In her podcast, she has discussed several subjects of different sectors and dynamics. While there is no fixed theme, there have been arguments concerning some controversial topics.

[caption id="attachment_1162174" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1162174" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1235553951.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1280" /> CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 25: Former Indy Car and NASCAR drive Danica Patrick is the guest picker for ESPN College Gameday prior a college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25th, 2021 at Solider Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)[/caption]

Surprisingly, one of the frequently talked about discussions involves the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-youd-still-freak-the-hell-out-danica-patrick-has-an-interesting-hypothesis-as-to-why-aliens-are-sneaky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">existence of aliens</a>. Certainly, Patrick believes in it and likes to debate about it in detail. In another discussion, she was intensely seen discussing the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-danica-patricks-tyrannical-new-sex-policy-pushes-mating-pattern-narrative-in-unexpected-manner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sensitive topic</a> of birth control. From a fan's perspective, Patrick's podcast is more than entertaining.

It only gets more tempting given the guests that have blessed their presence on the podcast. From NASCAR, big names like <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/dale-earnhardt-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dale Earnhardt Jr</a>, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kyle-larson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Larson</a>, and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/denny-hamlin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denny Hamlin</a> have already made an appearance. Other than these top drivers, star celebrities like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Trevor Hall, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Manganiello, Jay Shetty, Matthew McConaughey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also attended the podcast.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Social Media Accounts</b></h2>
Patrick has been an active user on social media, more so after her retirement. She likes to update her fans about her personal life with posts on her Instagram account. Having said that she's equally active on her Facebook, Twitter, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjzc6KWjzKosSGw0VkIHaaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a>. She has done a good job of summarizing her past and present life on her <a href="https://www.danicapatrick.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, making it more accessible to her fans.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Instagram</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.instagram.com/danicapatrick/"><span style="font-weight: 400">@danicapatrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Twitter </span></td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/danicapatrick"><span style="font-weight: 400">@DanicaPatrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Facebook</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DanicaPatrick/"><span style="font-weight: 400">Danica Patrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td>Danica Sue Patrick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Popular Name</span></td>
<td>Danica Patrick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth Date</span></td>
<td>March 25, 1982</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth Place</span></td>
<td>Beloit, Wisconsin, United States</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Height</span></td>
<td>5'2"/ 157 cm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Weight</span></td>
<td>45kg/100lb</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Parents</span></td>
<td>Terry Joseph Patrick Jr (Father) and Beverly Ann (Mother)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Siblings</span></td>
<td>Brooke Patrick (Younger sister)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nationality</span></td>
<td>American</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Ethnicity</span></td>
<td>White</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Net Worth</span></td>
<td>$80 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Salary</span></td>
<td>$10 million annually (last known)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Spouse</span></td>
<td>Currently unmarried</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Relationship/Marital Status</span></td>
<td>Divorced</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Children</span></td>
<td>None</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Profession</span></td>
<td>Racecar Driver, Athlete, Spokesperson, Model &amp; Entrepreneur</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Team</span></td>
<td>Premium Motorsports (last known)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick Net Worth 2023 (Update) In a male-dominated sport, Danica Patrick has surely been successful in making a big name for herself. Without a doubt, she remains one of the most successful women in the history of American open-wheel car racing. After spending almost two decades in racing, Patrick is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $80 million as per CelebrityNetWorth. Interestingly, she created a lot of buzz when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, becoming the only woman to win in an IndyCar series race. During her racing days, Patrick reportedly earned a stunning $10 million annually with her base salary estimated to be around $7.5 million. LOS ANGELES, CA &#8211; JULY 16: NASCAR driver Danica Patrick attends The 2014 ESPYS at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Over the years, a lot of her income has come through her sponsors. Some of her major endorsement brands include Tissot, Chevrolet, Hot Wheels, GoDaddy.com, Lyft, AirTran Airways, Coca-Cola, Motorola, etc. While a clear value earned through sponsors is not available, there is a good reason she is termed as one of the &#8216;Most marketable drivers&#8217; in NASCAR. Post-retirement, the 41-year-old has opened up plenty of avenues to add to her net worth. She launched a clothing line in 2017, &#8216;Warrior by Danica Patrick&#8217;. In addition to this, she also has a Californian Vineyard to her name that produces Somnium Wine. Also, she has a podcast entitled &#8216;Danica Patrick Pretty Intense&#8217; which has gained popularity over time. Danica Patrick’s Early Life and Parents Born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick grew up in the town of Roscoe, Illinois along with her younger sister Brooke. As she comes from a racing family, the former IndyCar racer needed very little motivation to be enticed into the sport. Having started go-kart racing at the age of 10, she moved to Britain after six years to race in open-wheel cars. In order to do so, she dropped out of high school midway with the consent of her parents. She spent three years in the United Kingdom as she drove for Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford, finishing ninth in the 1999 Formula Vauxhall Championship. A year later, she came in second at the 2000 Formula Ford Festival at Brands which helped her earn the Gorsline Scholarship Award. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, Patrick had to return to the States in 2001. Danica Patrick’s Family and Personal Life In 1982, Patrick was born to Beverly Ann and Terry Joseph Patrick Jr. Interestingly, the latter raced snowmobiles, motocross, and midget cars in his career. Patrick has a younger sister named Brooke who is a pediatric physical therapist. As far as her dating history is concerned, in 2002, Patrick met physical therapist Paul Edward Hospenthal as she was getting treated for a knee injury suffered in a yoga session. They clicked and eventually got married in 2005. Despite the 17-year age difference between the two, their marriage stood strong until 2013 which is when they got divorced. SANTA MONICA, CA &#8211; JULY 19: Race car driver Danica Patrick (L) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers attend Nickelodeon Kids&#8217; Choice Sports Awards 2018 at Barker Hangar on July 19, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic) In 2012, Patrick started dating NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Unfortunately, they broke up after five years of dating in 2017. The Wisconsin-born driver later moved on and started dating NFL player Aaron Rodgers in January 2018. They had a good relationship for over two years until July 2020 when they went different ways. Almost nine months later, Patrick started dating Freshly co-founder Carter Comstock. After almost a year together, their split was confirmed in March 2022. Post that, Patrick&#8217;s present relationship status remains unknown. Danica Patrick’s Racing Career After returning to the United States in 2002, Patrick competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series for a bit before racing in the Toyota Atlantic Series for two years. After finishing fourth in the Series in 2004, she earned a chance to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Her first stint in the IndyCar series came with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. She took three pole positions that season. Two years later, Patrick joined Andretti Green Racing in 2007. In April 2008, she registered the first big win of her career in the Firestone IndyCar 300 race in Motegi, Japan. However, at the start of the 2010 season, she partially raced in NASCAR&#8217;s lower-tier Nationwide Series. It was only in 2012 that she competed full-time in NASCAR, participating in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup races. In 2013, Patrick grabbed a lot of attention after winning the pole position in the Daytona 500 race. However, she decided to retire after years with her last race being 2018 Indy 500. Unfortunately, she crashed during lap 68 of her final race. Danica Patrick’s Wins and Achievements As mentioned earlier, Patrick did a stunning job in her career to stand out in a male-dominated sport. When she qualified for the Indy 500, she became the fourth woman to do so. In fact, she even lead 19 laps and finished fourth in her first-ever  Indianapolis 500. By doing so, she earned the right to be the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the race. She was also named Rookie of the Year in 2005. One of Patrick&#8217;s most iconic wins has to be the one in the IndyCar series Indy Japan 300 race in 2008. Then, she became the first woman ever to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series. From 2005 to 2010, she earned the bragging rights for winning the Most Popular Driver award in the IndyCar Series. INDIANAPOLIS, IN &#8211; MAY 25: Danica Patrick practices for the Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) In the NASCAR arena, she won the Most Popular Driver award in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, her best accomplishment in NASCAR would be winning the pole position in the 2013 Daytona 500 by setting the fastest qualifying lap. In fact, she also set the record for the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the &#8220;Great American Race&#8221; as she finished in eighth place. Her NASCAR Cup Series achievements didn&#8217;t end there. Patrick beat past Janet Guthrie to break the record for the most top-ten finished by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series with seven such finishes to her name. It is truly amazing what she achieved on the tracks. Interestingly, she has been doing some noble work even off the tracks. Charity and Foundation In 2021, Patrick was keen on participating in an honorable cause for the Light Foundation. The man behind the foundation was former New Englands Patriots offensive player Matt Light. Along with his wife Susie, Light aims to help young people develop skills, values and a mindset that will help them build a solid future. Given Patrick&#8217;s popularity and zeal to help society, she participated in the 125th Boston Marathon. Her sister Brooke also took part with her as both sisters successfully completed the run. All the athletes involves in the marathon raised more than $400,000 for their youth leadership programs. Danica Patrick’s House Patrick did a pretty good job in making big bucks during her race career. Using those hard earnings, she owns an amazing 8,300-square-foot mansion in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a cosmic theme, one reason why Patrick likes to call her the &#8220;Jetsons House&#8221;. She purchase the mansion in 2007 citing the seven-car garage capacity. However, she later realized how the wine cellar could hold up to 1,000 bottles and she grew in love with this feature. Additionally, the house is made of concrete sheathed walls and disc shapes throughout which includes the breakfast bar in the open-plan kitchen. It is not just the indoors but even the outdoor setup of the mansion that is quite fascinating. With Arizona&#8217;s famed Camelback Mountain visible from Patrick&#8217;s house, it truly is a sight to behold. Danica Patrick’s Podcast Post-retirement, Patrick has invested a big chunk of her time in her podcast &#8220;Pretty Intense&#8221;. In her podcast, she has discussed several subjects of different sectors and dynamics. While there is no fixed theme, there have been arguments concerning some controversial topics. CHICAGO, IL &#8211; SEPTEMBER 25: Former Indy Car and NASCAR drive Danica Patrick is the guest picker for ESPN College Gameday prior a college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25th, 2021 at Solider Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Surprisingly, one of the frequently talked about discussions involves the existence of aliens. Certainly, Patrick believes in it and likes to debate about it in detail. In another discussion, she was intensely seen discussing the sensitive topic of birth control. From a fan&#8217;s perspective, Patrick&#8217;s podcast is more than entertaining. It only gets more tempting given the guests that have blessed their presence on the podcast. From NASCAR, big names like Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin have already made an appearance. Other than these top drivers, star celebrities like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Trevor Hall, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Manganiello, Jay Shetty, Matthew McConaughey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also attended the podcast. Danica Patrick’s Social Media Accounts Patrick has been an active user on social media, more so after her retirement. She likes to update her fans about her personal life with posts on her Instagram account. Having said that she&#8217;s equally active on her Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. She has done a good job of summarizing her past and present life on her website, making it more accessible to her fans.  Instagram @danicapatrick  Twitter  @DanicaPatrick  Facebook Danica Patrick  &nbsp;  Full Name Danica Sue Patrick  Popular Name Danica Patrick  Birth Date March 25, 1982  Birth Place Beloit, Wisconsin, United States  Height 5&#8217;2&#8243;/ 157 cm  Weight 45kg/100lb  Parents Terry Joseph Patrick Jr (Father) and Beverly Ann (Mother)  Siblings Brooke Patrick (Younger sister)  Nationality American  Ethnicity White  Net Worth $80 million  Salary $10 million annually (last known)  Spouse Currently unmarried  Relationship/Marital Status Divorced  Children None  Profession Racecar Driver, Athlete, Spokesperson, Model &amp; Entrepreneur  Team Premium Motorsports (last known)  &nbsp;

Danica Patrick Archives

Danica Patrick Archives - EssentiallySports

Jimmie Johnson

Motorsport is one of the most competitive sports in the world where consistency is something that does not come by easy. But once in a while, there comes an athlete who embodies that consistency in a way that has never been done before. NASCAR is no different and in it, Jimmie Johnson is the epitome of consistency. The former Hendrick Motorsports driver is a member of an elite club that comprises only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt apart from him. That is the 7-time Cup Series champions club. A feat so incredibly difficult that it is almost unthinkable in today&#8217;s world. Who is Jimmie Johnson? For people who have been fans of NASCAR for a decent amount of time, this man needs no introduction. His career is defined by his 7 Cup Series championships and countless race wins. Born on September 17, 1975, the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club has done it all as a driver in the sport and more. He is the only driver ever to have won a whopping 5 NASCAR Cup Series championships on the bounce, which, in a lot of people&#8217;s opinions, makes him better than Petty or Earnhardt. That&#8217;s still a big matter of debate but there is no denying that Jimmie Johnson is one of the greatest motorsports athletes the world has ever seen. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA &#8211; JULY 29: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, looks on during practice for NTT IndyCar Series Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) Jimmie Johnsonâ€™s early life Johnson was born in El Cajon, California, to Catherine Ellen and Gary Ernest Johnson. Before he fully got his foot into the world of motorsports, he was a student at the Granite Hills High School and he showed a penchant for different kinds of sports from a very young age. He was quite comfortable in the water as he showed an affinity towards swimming and water polo as a kid. But he always raced. At that age, Johnson used to participate in motorbike racing and he was quite good at it. His switch to racing stock cars began when he shifted from bikes to buggies and trucks on off-road tracks. 1997 was the year Johnson tried asphalt racing. Just a year after his debut in asphalt racing in the American Speed Association (ASA) competitions, the 7-time Cup Series winner made his debut in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Four years later, the legendary stock car racer made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the rest, as they say, is history. But it was not just NASCAR that was of interest to him. He is a proper athlete who has competed in different kinds of sports. Some of the other disciplines that have attracted his attention are endurance events like triathlons and long-distance running. 2019 saw Johnson finish the iconic Boston Marathon with a time of 3:09:07. It&#8217;s safe to say that he is a multifaceted athlete with a lot of talent apart from motor racing but he is not the only one in his family with racing acumen. DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA &#8211; JANUARY 29: Jimmie Johnson driver of the #48 Ally Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi, looks on before the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 29, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s wife and children Jimmie Johnson is the oldest of 3 brothers born to Catherine and Gary. His two younger brothers are named Jarit Johnson and Jessie Johnson, both of whom tested the waters in the competitive world of motorsports as they made numerous starts in the Off-Road Championships. But they were not as successful as their older brother. The 7-time Cup Series champion married Chandra Janway on December 10, 2004. The couple had known each other since 2002. They have two daughters, Genevieve, 12, and Lydia, 9. The family is a happy one, but they were faced with a tragedy in 2023. AVONDALE, ARIZONA &#8211; NOVEMBER 08: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, poses on the grid with his wife Chandra Johnson and their daughters Lydia Norriss Johnson and Genevieve Johnson prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale 500 at Phoenix Raceway on November 08, 2020 in Avondale, Arizona.Jimmie Johnson is scheduled to retire from full-time NASCAR racing after 2020. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) The lives of Johnson and his wife were completely turned upside down on June 26, shortly before the first-ever Chicago Street Race. That evening in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Chandra&#8217;s parents, Jack and Terry Janway, were discovered dead alongside her 11-year-old nephew, Dalton. The authorities ultimately surmised that the incident was a murder-suicide, which shocked the motorsports community. Jimmie Johnson net worth 2024 Being a 7-time Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson has accumulated a lot of personal wealth, of which his sponsorship deals and brand endorsements were also a big part. Today, as the owner of a Cup Series team, Johnson is one of the wealthiest men in NASCAR and as of 2024, he has an estimated net worth of a whopping $160 million as per several reports. The 48-year-old has several sponsorship deals in place with companies like Gatorade, Blue Bunny, and Seiko. Among his own business is the NASCAR Cup Series team he owns, Legacy Motor Club, which switched manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota ahead of the 2024 season. Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s career timeline After racing motorbikes, trucks, and buggies, Jimmie Johnson made the switch to asphalt racing in 1997 and one of the first organizations he raced for was Herzog Motorsports in the ASA (American Speed Association). That year, he raced 3 times in the competition before coming back the following year and winning the ASA Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie title. His introduction to NASCAR was the 1998 Nationwide Series in which he took part in 3 races. Johnson&#8217;s full-time debut in the competition came with Herzog Motorsports in 2000. That season may have been winless but he finished an impressive P10 in the points. The following year, Johnson won his first race in a major NASCAR competition when he took the checkered flag at the 2001 Chicagoland 300 and went on to finish the season P8 in points. His talents were scouted by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick and in 2002, Jimmie Johnson was in the Cup Series driving full-time for Hendrick Motorsports. Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s partnerships and brand endorsements The 7-time Cup Series champion does not face much difficulty in finding sponsors, given who he is and one of the biggest companies he has partnered up with recently is AdventHealth. It was revealed before the start of the new season that the healthcare brand would sponsor the NASCAR legend in 3 Cup Series races in 2024. The company, which used to sponsor Ross Chastain, has been in the sport since 2o15 and Johnson is one of the biggest athletes they have ever partnered with. When Legacy Motor Club executives decided to make the switch from Chevrolet to Toyota, they knew that a lot of changes were coming and the sponsorship side of things was no different. Mobil 1 Racing is one of the partners Johnson gained as team owner as it was revealed before the season began that the motor oil and lubricant heavyweight would sponsor every Toyota team in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series as per a report in Racing News. BRISTOL, TN &#8211; APRIL 06: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, prepares to drive during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 6, 2019 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) Another company that has extended its partnership with the 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is Carvana. It is a brand that claims to be a pioneer in buying and selling used cars online. Johnson has worked with the company since 2021 when he made his debut in IndyCar and the relationship has stood the test of time. The 2024 season will be the second that they are partnering with the #84 team and the brand&#8217;s logo will be on the car&#8217;s hood for the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s investment Jimmie Johnson acquired a portion of GMS Petty Motorsports in 2022, marking the start of his ownership career in the NASCAR Cup Series. But Richard Petty sold Maury Gallagher all of the team&#8217;s shares later that year. Gallagher had paid $19 million for the majority of Richard Petty Motorsports three years prior. After deciding to go through the Cup Series jointly, the two owners rebranded it to Legacy Motor Club. After the team changed its name to LMC in 2023, it was the first major NASCAR competition season without a Petty team. In 2023, Legacy Motor Club competed in the NASCAR Cup Series as a Chevrolet team. However, the team chose to switch to Toyota for the 2024 season. The LMC owners stated that it was preferable to be one of three teams with Toyota rather than one of eight with Chevy. Given that Johnson&#8217;s team will receive a great deal of support and resources from both Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing, this decision, which has been heavily debated in the racing world, might turn out to be a highly successful one. Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s career stats There is a reason why Jimmie Johnson is considered to be one of the greatest NASCAR racers of all time and that is his on-track numbers. In the Cup Series, the 48-year-old has taken part in almost 700 races and he has racked up a whopping 83 wins so far in his Cup career. He also has 374 top-10 finishes and 36 pole positions. In the Xfinity Series, his numbers are lackluster. Johnson has taken part in 93 races in the competition, recording 1 win, 24 top 10s, and 2 pole positions. He is also a 2-time winner of the Busch Clash, Southern 500, and Daytona 500. Johnson has won the All-Star race, Coca-Cola 600, and Brickyard 400 four times each. He also won the Indianapolis race in the 2003 International Race of Champions. Jimmie Johnson records The former Hendrick Motorsports driver is no stranger to records as he has set several of them throughout his illustrious career. He is the only driver apart from the late great Dale Earnhardt Sr and Richard &#8216;The King&#8217; Petty to have won 7 NASCAR Cup Series championship titles. But Jimmie Johnson has a record to his name that neither of them or anyone in the history of NASCAR has. He is the only person t win the Cup Series five times in a row (2006-2010). HOMESTEAD, FL &#8211; NOVEMBER 20: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe&#8217;s Chevrolet, poses for a portrait after winning the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images) Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s major achievements and awards It should come as no surprise that a driver of this level has won multiple individual honors apart fromÂ his seven Cup Series victories. In addition to being named one of NASCAR&#8217;s Greatest 75 drivers of all time, he has won numerous accolades, including the 1998 ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year, the 2009 AP Male Athlete of the Year, five Driver of the Year titles, the 2020 Bill France Award of Excellence, and the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. The seven-time Cup Series winner received another award in 2024 when he was admitted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In 2011, following his fifth consecutive championship, Johnson had the honor of meeting then-US President Barack Obama. The former President expressed interest in the legendary #48 Hendrick Motorsports car used by the NASCAR star and welcomed him into the White House. Jimmie Johnson in the 24 Hours of LeMans The 48-year-old has never participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most recognizable motorsports competitions in the world, until recently. Johnson traveled to France in 2023 as part of the Garage 56 initiative at Hendrick Motorsports. Mike Rockenfeller and Jenson Button, two legendary figures in motorsports, were his teammates for the event. The former HMS Cup Series driver was ecstatic with the experience as the squad met their objective of finishing the race. The team finished the race in P39. 24 Hendrick Motorsports USA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 â€“ innovative car â€“ Jimmie Johnson USA Mike Rockenfeller Deu Jenson Button GBR during the 91st 24 Hours of Le Mans, centenary edition, 4th round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship FIA WEC, Collective car shoot, circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, Le Mans FRA, June 06 2023 automobileÂ : 24 heures du Mans â€“ FIA WEC â€“ Championnats du monde d endurance â€“ 06/06/2023 Mpsagency/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL His luck at the 24 Hours of Daytona has not been too good as Johnson never really got into his groove in that race. The last time he raced in the event was in 2011 and he could only manage a P59 finish. His best performance was in 2010 when he finished P30. Jimmie Johnson foundation Jimmie JohnsonÂ and his wife Chandra established the Jimmie Johnson Foundation in 2006. Over the years, the foundationÂ has assisted many underprivileged families and children in a variety of ways. Through the organization&#8217;s Champion Grant program, the foundation presently concentrates on Kâ€“12 public education, according to its website. It also collaborates with the popularÂ Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grantsÂ children with life-threatening illnesses wishes. ToÂ support disaster relief operations, Johnson&#8217;s Foundation has also collaborated closely with the American Red Cross. The Hendrick Marrow Program, Victory Junction, and Habitat for Humanity are a few more charitable causes that the organization sponsors. Jimmie Johnsonâ€™s tribute to his late friends Jimmie Johnson was a compassionate and devoted friend, a side of him that often got overshadowed by his competitive one. He has paid his sincere respects to the close friends he has lost in life. Blaise Alexander, a fellow driver, and he were close friends, but their relationship tragically ended. Alexander lost his life in an instant after a crash on lap 63 of the 2001 EasyCare 100 at Lowe&#8217;s Motor Speedway, cracking the underside of his skull. In every race car Johnson has raced since, he memorialized his friend by placing his initials as a flame decal inside it. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA &#8211; AUGUST 13: Jimmie Johnson of the United States, driver of the #48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, prepares to drive during practice for the NTT IndyCar Series Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 13, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Ricky Hendrick, son of Johnson&#8217;s ex-boss Rick Hendrick,Â unfortunately died in a plane disaster in 2004 along with nine other people. The seven-time Cup Series winner also placed the Hendrick plane&#8217;s tail number inside the vehicles as a sign of respect. Jimmie Johnson in popular media Jimmie Johnson has a history of special appearances in a lot of different places like TV and movies. He created television history in 2013 when he was the first athlete in the professional ranks to co-host the well-liked ESPN program SportsCenter. He has also appeared in a music video for the song &#8220;Ain&#8217;t no man&#8221; by The Avrett Brothers. Johnson has so far acted in several films and television series. Among them are Las Vegas and Herbie: Fully Loaded. He also made an appearance on a Top Gear and 24/7 episode. The seven-time Cup Series winner can be found in many NASCAR-themed video games. You can drive his #48 car in Forza Motorsport 6. Additionally, he appeared in the smartphone game Ally Racer. Jimmie Johnson&#8217;s social media The 7-time Cup Series champion is a fairly frequent user of social media and he is active on his X (Twitter) handle more often.  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JimmieJohnson  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jimmiejohnson/  Twitter https://twitter.com/JimmieJohnson    Full NameÂ  Jimmie Johnson  Popular Name Seven Time  Birth Place El Cajon, California  Birth Date September 17, 1975  Age 48  Height 5&#8217;9&#8243;  Weight(in pounds) 165 lbs  Parents Catherine Ellen, Gary Ernest Johnson  Siblings Jarit Johnson, Jessie Johnson  Nationality American  Ethnicity Caucasian  Net Worth $160 million  Salary $17.6 million  Relationship/ Marital Status Married  Spouse Chandra Janway  Children Genevieve, Lydia  Profession NASCAR team owner  Team Legacy Motor Club

“That Danica Girl Had Nothing to do With It”: Jimmie Johnson Poked Fun at Danica Patrick in the Cheesiest Way After Daytona 500 Win

Jimmie Johnson took a sly dig at NASCAR trailblazer Danica Patrick