One on One: Jimmie Johnson

Two dozen sixteen mark your seventh championship in NASCAR's premier series. How do you continue to have motivation as opposed to just kind of be like you know what I'd done a lot may be its timing of the fires. It's never been about the stats I don't have a sense of accomplishment you know I haven't had a a number of race Wednesday hitter championship to hit and you know that that was my target goals so that I think that helps. Plus I mean might might role in the team has changed in a lot of ways and in I'm competing for different reasons now and I I did when I first started. First and foremost for my family ends in those moments with my family. I'm trying to be a mentor for for chase and other young drivers in the Hendrick system even on the other young drivers and all divisions and other teams shot I just like helping people so. Sure I'm able checked the box and into Loudon and make myself happy race and competing and turn it on personal goals but. That there are a lot more goals and and some very broad goals that I'm joined kind of you know achieving at this point. Carl Everett shocked a lot of people before the season started saying he was gonna retire he can step away from racing for you. What's going to be indicator. To retire whether that's a year from now or you know could be ten years from now. I think it's the same things Carl's consider it in him what led to Karl's decision you know we we it will all happen to us that are on time for own reasons but. I'm always certainly believe if I'm if I'm worried about getting hurt and he stepped down because. In mind. Opinion watching when somebody's thinking about retiring in just out there that's that's when they get hurt. To the demands in the same way. And in three it YouTube burnout at some point. So considering all of a half I feel that the safety standpoint. You know. You know and I'm personally comfortable with that element. And then the other two pieces. On my my wife and I worked really hard said that to move around the country and enjoined to travel and explore with their kids. Our world travel slowed down some because they've been so young bit. We know what our off season are off weekends typically are in and we have these students that took place this summer. Booked up and ready and we plan to travel and explore in and try to fill that buck it up a little bit have some balance. And I feel like we're we're doing a good thing there because I haven't hit the burnout phase. I'm sure gets stuff it's it's a grind it. I find it if I if I focus will have more on. This puts more time in the personal bucket on the balance is having a girl while living Colorado for the first part of the season. What are some of the advantages to being removed from kind of the sinner NASCAR here in Charlotte and then what may be some of the challenges. Been removed from from Charlotte really. Really is only a problem because I'm not around the team and my guys that. Element relationship so important. You know in Colorado others. It's just too simple mind shift in the way things take place the outdoors or are such a vital part of everybody's daily activities and even governor kids in school. And they insist that your child's gonna go outside for at least an hour every day and at their peak he's outside them out or curriculum. They have half days on Wednesdays in mandatory ski days of the snows enough in the morning. It's it's just a fun twist on the outdoors and bringing out oriented and to their education. And then I like ever like who I am there like what I'm into and the amount of time that my wife and I treat or how and in in the things that we. And it's just been been great for us and to full time thing and there's no way can be full time while I'm on race in cup but we consider him for months give a shop that time. Any chance you'd see anyone had not mean the yes but stricker come out it's blood but often heading influence on bank. I think it's 45 days in out of the thirty I was there and didn't we go back. Once meeting concludes and all beef line a lot because you know I need to be in Charlotte bit. Genie in the girls' school we'll station is yet to come back for some some suffer gallery from time to time it. We're just checking it out we're just to see in in really enjoy it. You talk about your daughter's a lot to a meeting Hamlet yes specifically Lydia and how much of yourself you seen her. What's one trait that you just watching him like man that is omni. If Reid who is she is on me there and everything she doesn't like God's gonna look like and that's the way I think and so for the eye can see what she's thinking does that that's me. On the her determination and she gets her mind set on something. She's she liked him. An animal to a whole let up. And I love her bravery right now on the mountain and she's been schemes that she was seventeen months and I mean she can she can fly on skis in in their biggest problems stopping. Which will get that sorted out but. Shall shall fly down and that's great. Between this great photo back in December it was a photo of the house you grew up and and you've had along senate but the comment you know we didn't have the nicest house but we had new dirt bikes during a premier. How your roots make you appreciate the success in the stability that you have now. Roots really do. Mold anybody into who they are and I'm so thankful for for my roots and my journey. And that certainly in my my kids. If you want the best for your kids and I've I know that his situation. I'm in their being raised in this that isn't what I went through so we're trying to hard to. You know it's and put our foot down on on on many things. And especially things that my wife and I both feel were important in our upbringing to help us learn. You know more about hard work determination and drive and and he respectful citizen. In global citizen and a lot of different things that that were our lives as a kid growing up so. But I I and so I'd love put that picture up I found the photo I couldn't get it up fast enough. Differ I've had some very very good rides over the years and been very fortunate. And up on high level teams that I having many forgive me many don't knows that you know that. I literally drove a trailer park until we moved in that house I think the trailer park was nicer than how serious they're difficult partisanship. You had him at different every year we did I mean my parents sacrifice at all that you'll have fun and they loved my mom would race in the powder puff division. And we weren't racing we would go to local deserts and ride with her family activity. Summertime we go to Colorado River and it jet skis and a potent and all that stuff to sell a lot of great memories but all with that all muttered. Finally. You describe your relationship with tag announced as almost like a married to guns and even joking that you guys need counseling whereas you know. You are Janine every relationship and never did. What's one thing where you guys there are just so very different. You and Chad. What's funny is we've done. A variety of personality tests and and things and in this one particular. Personality test is and yes testing in scoring. And there's their that you you color based on on testing taken it to at a communicate this four colors and total. Were both read switches. General tilts it now. Hyper focus super aggressive you know bright color registering a blue and were shocked that we're both threats because Chad definitely. By their definition it's the red but after the scoring I'm I'm a red so there there is some under line commonalities that half. But it Chan. Chad is so fact based and in needs to be black and white for him bid it almost. It takes elements. His personality especially here at the moment. It's just it's black or white it's right or wrong or good or bad where I I on the flip side. You know route talk about a little bit and hope understanding. And you know there's a way to work around some then are we don't look at it the right ways so we've refined it. Yes we have some very common after komen foundation. But his strengths and my strict fortunately different is she can run one direction really farm and I come behind him and sometimes have to. Fix things cities where people is upset that so their idea good cop bad cop thing that Canon laser players in the that is well. But it's certainly worked in one thing that's been we've both had each other's backs have been committed to one another and make this thing work. It's great lessons listening to Geoff courtroom for him talk as the talent post office at that stage yet. Chad and I try to learn from from our friends inventors and mail us this opportunity. Okay.