NASCAR: With Gordon Retired, Johnson Becomes Model Driver

Jeff Gordon ended his legendary NASCAR career which means Jimmie Johnson will take over as the most successful driver the sport has.

It was a day that not too many fans wanted to see. The last race day for Jeff Gordon, one of NASCAR’s most popular and most decorated drivers.

With his departure, the sport was left with a major hole: Who would be the next driver to model success at one of the highest levels?

One possible candidate was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is the fan favorite almost every weekend. However, he hasn’t won any championships and doesn’t exactly get to Victory Lane very easily. It could’ve been Tony Stewart, the three-time champion who captured the hearts of many NASCAR fans with his electrifying wins, but he has fallen off in the past few seasons and hasn’t made the Chase since 2012.

The answer to the question happened to come from within Gordon’s own garage: his friend and fellow teammate Jimmie Johnson, another driver who will be honored for all of his hard work someday.

During Gordon’s career, many drivers would state that he was their favorite driver growing up or that he was the driver that they wanted to be like one day. He had won four championships, his win total kept growing each season and he was the ideal driver to watch because of his bold moves and incredible driving on some of NASCAR’s hardest tracks.

Now, Johnson is the only driver left that has numbers anywhere near Gordon’s. His 75 wins, 207 top-5’s, 313 top-10’s and 17,709 laps led are all the most among active drivers and his six championships has been the most since he won his fifth back in 2010.

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Though he may not have the longest tenure or be the oldest, he has the most Chase experience and has never missed the cut as a Sprint Cup driver.

If success isn’t the one thing that pushes him to the top then his attitude and composure is the deciding factor. Johnson has been one driver who tends to stay cool in situations where controversy could erupt.

One example was this past season after the first race of the Chase at Chicagoland. Johnson had made a move down to the apron in which he made contact with Kevin Harvick when attempting to pull back up. That ultimately caused Harvick to spin and be taken out of race contention.

After the race, Johnson was confronted by a punch in the chest from Harvick. With only a few people around, it could’ve turned into a fight but instead Johnson stood firm and eventually walked away from Harvick, who was having to be held back by a person in the area.

Johnson has been the best driver in NASCAR for some time and now his greatness will be on center stage, if it wasn’t already, for fans and media alike to enjoy. In an article by Kenny Bruce of NASCAR.com, Johnson explained that he doesn’t “feel like it’s time” to retire yet. That means he will have many more years to improve on his legacy.

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Overall, it’s apparent that Jimmie Johnson will now take over as the model for upcoming drivers everywhere. His great driving paired with his calm spirits are exactly what you want to see in a driver and Johnson is living proof that success will always follow.