Now that Jimmie Johnson has been selected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, there’s just one question remaining regarding the former driver. Is he the greatest of all-time?
Without question, Johnson is in the conversation. During his career in the NASCAR Cup Series, he won seven championships, which included a run of five consecutive Cup Series titles from 2006-10. He also won crowns in 2013 and 2016.
Johnson is tied with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the most all-time.
Considering his seven championships and the impressive run from 2006-10, is he the greatest to ever do it? Before jumping directly into that conversation, NBC Sports analyst and former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty praised Johnson for his career accomplishments.
“Listen, you can’t argue Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson (in the Hall of Fame),” Petty said. “Jimmie Johnson’s five championships in a row — I’ve said it a million times and it falls on deaf ears — it’s the most underrated achievement in all of professional sports. I don’t say just motorsports. All of professional sports.
“What those guys put together for that many years is absolutely — I don’t think we’ll ever, ever, ever see anything like that again.”
Fellow NBC Sports analyst Parker Kligerman then praised Johnson as being the greatest to ever do it in NASCAR. He pointed to the five-consecutive championships as the No. 1 reason why.
But Petty had a response — and a pretty fitting one.
“I will argue the GOAT comment, since I’m Richard Petty’s son. I will argue the GOAT comment. Because I don’t believe GOATs exist in any sports. GOATs are like unicorns, they’re just non-existent. I think for that era, he is the GOAT. Earnhardt was the GOAT. I think Richard Petty was the GOAT. … I think it just changes.”
Comparing different athletes in different eras is always a difficult task. Rules change and the competition alters, making it tough to gauge who the best athletes of all-time are. But … we also understand that Petty might have a little bias in his analysis.
We can debate whether or not Johnson will be remembered as the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time. What can’t be argued, though, is that he belongs in the conversation — even if he’s trumped by Earnhardt and Petty.
After learning of his Hall of Fame selection, Johnson released a statement.
“It is an incredible honor to be voted into the @NASCARHall with the Class of 2024,” Johnson wrote. “What makes this moment even more special is being inducted with @chadknaus. We re-wrote the record books together, so it’s only fitting we are inducted together. Congratulations also to Donnie Allison for joining the Hall of Fame and Janet Guthrie on the Landmark Award.
“Joining the elite company of so many who have contributed to our sport is truly overwhelming… I am forever grateful.”