CONCORD, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson will be going back in time to the beginning of his NASCAR Cup Series career during the Nov. 11 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Arizona’s ISM Raceway.
Hendrick Motorsports and Lowe’s revealed Tuesday morning that Johnson will carry the first paint scheme he ever ran at NASCAR’s top level — featuring the patriotic Power of Pride colors — during the penultimate race of the season, the Can-Am 500.
The event will mark the penultimate race for Lowe’s as primary sponsor for Johnson. The home improvement company, which is departing the No. 48 team at season’s end, has been with the seven-time Cup Series champion for every start in his premier series career, dating back to his debut in 2001.
On that day, Johnson was still a relative unknown, tabbed by Rick Hendrick at the behest of Jeff Gordon, who was then on his way to a fourth championship in the Cup Series.
Johnson didn’t make much noise in his first Cup race, either. He crashed out during the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then called Lowe’s Motor Speedway due to a naming-rights agreement with Johnson’s longtime sponsor.
Though he finished 39th that evening, Johnson has gone on to record 83 Cup Series wins in the 17 years that have followed and relishes the chance to give his first colors one final ride at the top level.
“To bring that scheme back, I don’t think many people associate Jimmie Johnson to that with just three races in 2001,” Johnson said. “My best finish was like in the mid-20s. It’s going to be really cool to bring it back and it will remind people of that first point in time for me in the Cup Series.”
As noted, Johnson’s highest finish in the patriotic livery that year – which was put on the car in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy — was 25th at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Nov. 11, 2001.
The events of that fall, as well as the patriotism across the country that followed, are two of the reasons why Johnson holds that particular scheme close to his heart.
“It is very meaningful on a lot of levels,” noted Johnson. “Because of 9/11, to carry that paint scheme on the car, there was so much pride in the country, so much patriotism going on. To have our car carry that for those three races was really special.”
Johnson is in the thick of the NASCAR playoffs this year, however, he was involved in a late-race crash during Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after running inside the top five and limped home to a 22nd-place finish.
The Hendrick Motorsports veteran finds himself 13th in the standings entering this weekend’s second race in the round of 16, just six points behind teammate Alex Bowman for the final position in the round of 12.
