Johnson enjoying his place in NASCAR history

Autoracing Betting Lines

11/19/2008 - Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Days after capturing his third-consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship, Jimmie Johnson has returned to his home in North Carolina to relax and allow his record-tying accomplishment to finally sink in. Johnson, who finished 15th in last Sunday's season-ending race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, matched Cale Yarborough's 30-year-old record of three titles in a row.

For Johnson, winning the championship included more than just the Sprint Cup trophy presentation and post-race media obligations at Homestead.

"Left the track around midnight, with the obligation, post-race obligations and stuff like that," Johnson said. "And then went out with my guys, went to a bar and they had a big party to celebrate the year and saw a bunch of drivers and team folks there and all my guys were there as well. It's nice to celebrate with them for a while.

"And maybe an hour and a half of sleep and was up and at it and on a plane to Bristol, Connecticut, to do the Car Wash at ESPN Studios. That was pretty much all day (Monday). And made it into New York City by about 8:00. Got up again at 6:30 (Tuesday) and had a full day of media obligations."

While making numerous appearances on various ESPN shows and radio programs, Johnson was overwhelmed just how big his achievement had become.

"Two cool moments at ESPN," he said. "I walked in and the first person I saw in the hallway of ESPN was Mike Ditka and introduced myself to him and he said, 'I know who you are, champ, and, by the way, you are a dynasty.'

"And it just shocked me that he had been paying attention to NASCAR and seeing comments where I've mentioned I couldn't say where I placed, it wasn't my place to say that. That one caught me off guard. Cris Carter was in the hallway a little later that day and he walked up to me said, 'I don't really follow NASCAR, but winning three titles in anything, in a row, deserves a lot of respect.'"

In New York, Johnson was a guest on "Live with Regis and Kelly" and visited Rachael Ray on her daytime talk show as part of his "Champion Media Tour" this week.

Johnson also appears on the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.

With the exception of the Sprint Cup "Champion's Week" the first week in December in New York, Johnson has plenty of downtime for the remainder of the year.

"We're not testing until January," Johnson said. "So I can probably expand on some type of trip. My wife and I have been interested in Eastern Asia to explore and see Thailand and Bali and a bunch of areas we're interested in seeing. I don't know much about these areas, but I see them in the magazines and have heard from friends who have traveled. I can't pronounce them now, but I know I'll come home much more in tune with it all and enjoying the experience."

One thing Johnson is hoping to do before "Champion's Week" is speak to Yarborough, who became the first driver to win three-straight Cup titles from 1976-78.

"I've not spoken to him, and I'd love to," he said. "I guess I haven't had time to stop and think about any of it to come across that thought. But I would love to talk to him. I talked to him earlier in the year a couple of times, and he couldn't have been more gracious and excited for me. When I have a chance to speak to him, I'll be real happy about that."