On Wednesday, news broke that Hendrick Motorsports chose Alex Bowman to succeed Jimmie Johnson. Recently, Bowman spoke about Johnson’s influence on his NASCAR career. According to him, the 7-time Cup Series champion played a massive role in his success.

To be precise, Jimmie Johnson acted as a great teammate on the track and was a great friend off the track. The #48 driver went as far as openly praising Bowman for his performances, given the machinery under him. Johnson himself revealed that he met Bowman fairly early in his career.

Bowman said, “At a time when I was really unsure of my career and didn’t know how things were gonna go. I wasn’t having a lot of fun.

“In 2014, he was the first guy to come up to me and say ‘Hey man, you’re a great job with what you have to work with’,” Bowman added.

What did Jimmie Johnson say about Alex Bowman?

Johnson cast his mind back to one particular race in Las Vegas, where he spoke to him about the previous race. The NASCAR legend noted that Bowman drove the car very hard. Even though he seemed to be out of control for most of the race, his progress was spectacular.

Jimmie Johnson said, “I remember approaching him like, ‘Man! I can’t believe you held onto that car. Were able to save it and drive it’. He definitely grew up around the dirt, and I can tell that.”

According to Bowman, his teammate’s praise boosted his confidence. So, he knows that taking over the #48 car from such an icon is truly special for him.

What would truly make Bowman swell with pride is the fact that Johnson believes that he has earned the #48 drive. It is also worth noting that Johnson’s long-time sponsor, Ally, believes that Bowman is the perfect fit. Of course, Bowman’s appointment means that he will vacate the #88 seat. Naturally, the Hendrick Motorsports team has to find a suitable candidate to fill that seat.

Read more – “He’s Earned the Right”: Jimmie Johnson Praises Alex Bowman After Huge Announcement by Hendrick Motorsports