Chase Elliott Leads Driver Tributes to Jimmie Johnson for Darlington Throwback Race Weekend

NASCAR veteran Jimmie Johnson is all set to retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2020 season. With the playoffs nearing and Johnson being far away from a spot, it may come sooner than expected. In light of this, quite a few drivers are paying tribute to the 7-time Cup Series champion.

Among them are his Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and William Byron. Elliott explained in a video that the three of them were honoring his 2009 championship-winning season.

He said, “Really excited about Darlington this year to honor your [Johnson] 2009 championship season. Obviously, you’ve been a great friend and a hero of mine, so I’m really excited about this. Always loved your car and scheme, the color always looked really good.”

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Elliott confessed that this little tribute does not seem like much, but he is excited to drive a car that looked like Johnson’s. In addition to that, Elliott revealed that he is also planning to unveil a special helmet soon.

Even Jimmie Johnson has some tributes planned for Darlington.

The 44-year-old is aware that he has tied with the legendary Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. So he is set to sport a livery that blends his own paint scheme with the iconic colors of Earnhardt and Petty.

Johnson has one last chance to somehow sneak into the playoffs before he hangs up his racing boots. Including this weekend’s double-header at the Dover International Speedway, there are just three races remaining. Jimmie Johnson knows that it is crunch time for him because he is lagging behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron by 25 points.

Truthfully, even if Johnson fails to make the playoff after the Southern 500 at Darlington, it will be memorable. Admittedly, Johnson’s form has been wayward in the 2020 Cup Series.

This is because his highest position is a 4th place finish at last weekend’s Daytona road course race. All that Jimmie Johnson needs to do is deliver better performances than Byron and outscore him handily.