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November 17, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – East County’s own Jimmie Johnson zoomed into sports history tonight, wining is sixth Sprint Cup championship to become one of the top NASCAR racing competitors ever. He trails only Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt, racing legends who each scored seven wins.
Sporting News writer Jeff Owens now names Johnson among the greatest athletes of all time, in any sport. Today’s win ties Johnson with LeBron James of NBA fame as the two most dominant pro athletes in pro sports today, each with six l titles in eight years, surpassing basketball’s Kobe Bryant and basebal’s Derek Jeter.
“Johnson rivals golf’s Tiger Woods and tennis star Roger Federer as the most accomplished individual athletes in pro sports,” Owens added.
But while Woods has won 14 golf majors and Federer has won 17 grand slams in tennis, Johnson has won all of NASCAR’s biggest races – most several times. These include the Daytona 500, Brickyard 500, Coca Cola 600, Southern 500, and Sprint All-Star Race. Collectively, that’s 15 wins as Johnson races on into the record books.
Johnson tweeted victory photos, including one of himself wearing a championship hat in the winner’s circle.
“I hear you up there!” Johnson shouted to the crowd after his victory, waving to his wife, Chandra, and young daughter, Genevive. Later, he recalled his grandmother, who died a few months ago. “I know my grandma was guiding me around the track.”
Johnson grew up in El Cajon and Santee--and he's never forgotten his roots.
To many here, he’s a hometown hero in more than one respect, having donating millions of dollars to support local schools through the Jimmie Johnson foundation.
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