We are inching closer to the start of the 2009 Sprint Cup season and our number one driver for The Top 20 Drivers of 2009. Today brings us to who I think will finish second in the season championship points.
#2 Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson was born September 17, 1975 in El Cajon, California. Johnson began racing motorcycles at the age of five. From there Johnson began competing on four-wheels, racing off-road in SODA, SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group. He accumulated over 25 wins, 100 top-three finishes, six championships and was honored Rookie of the Year in all three leagues.
In 1998, Johnson moved to the ASA circuit, picking up Rookie of the Year honors. He began racing in ASA and the Busch (Nationwide) Series in 1999, winning two ASA races and finishing third in points.
Johnson was hired by Hendrick Motorsports in 2001 on the recommendation of Jeff Gordon. Johnson’s first Sprint Cup race was the 2001 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte.
Johnson has gone on to be one of only two drivers to win three consecutive Sprint Cup Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (Cale Yarborough was the other, winning in 1976, 1977 and 1978).
In 2008, Johnson had 36 starts, 6 poles, 7 wins, 15 Top 5s, 22 Top 10s, an average start of 9.0, an average finish of 11.0, and first place in the points with 6.684.
Johnson will return to Hendricks Motorsports in 2009, piloting the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet Impala with long-time crew chief Chad Knaus.
2009 will be another good year for Johnson. He will be competitive at nearly every event, and be a staple of contention throughout the season. It will go down to the wire for the championship as Johnson tries for his fourth consecutive championship. I predict he will hit a few bumps during the Chase and fall short in 2009.
Well, there is one more to go! Can you guess who my number one driver for 2009 will be?
Check in tomorrow to see who it is!
If you missed parts 1 through 6, here they are:
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 1
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 2
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 3
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 4
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 5
The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 6
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