Sure, as NASCAR fans, we have seen the seven-time Cup Series champion fiery on track, but when his daughters, especially 15-year-old Genevieve, are in the picture? Yeah, we see a big ‘ol mush. When Evie wanted to attend boarding school, Jimmie Johnson said it would leave a void at home. And the move-in day? He remarked, “I started getting tear-eyed as we’re moving Evie in… I’m thinking I’m not going to lay there in bed and hear her footsteps anymore.” Now, a few months have passed, and Johnson may have steadied himself, but hold up, there’s a sweet something from his daughter.

The 50-year-old’s daughter has long been passionate about horses and has meticulously planned her academic and equestrian pursuits. Johnson noted, “I also think that with her grade point average and just how academic she is, she’s excited to cover more territory quicker and then make more time for her interest, which is horses.” Now it seems it was Evie’s turn to give an honest admission about her greatest supporter.

Speaking on the Never Settle podcast, Evie bared her soul when asked about the type of father Johnson is: “I think he sees a lot of himself in me when I compete. He’s always waiting by the ingate or when I’m warming up, just giving me like tips, just making me feel better. Whenever I come out of the ring, he’s always there waiting for me to give me like a high five. It’s very competitive, and he helps me like just get out there and be my best self in the ring. It’s a lot like racing, I think, and just the viewpoint and trying your best, and he really understands that.”

And upon hearing this, Jimmie Johnson couldn’t help but wear a huge smile on his face, as he said, ” Just listening to her talk, man. That is, yeah, we have a good time. We really do.” At 15, born in 2010, Evie’s departure hit Johnson hard, especially since his racing career kept him away from home for long stretches. The empty nest syndrome, felt by 45% of parents, per a 2018 study, stung more than he expected.

Moreover, Johnson admits that his wife, Chandra, had been impacted way more. He said, “Now that we’re in that boat, parents will expand more … it was really tough on her; it was really tough on us … now that we know more, it’s wild how tough it was.”

Johnson and his wife, Chandra, leaned on other parents to navigate the transition, a move backed by research showing peer support eases the stress of big milestones. Moreover, as the couple navigates these bittersweet moments, Johnson reflected on the research they did, saying, “I was running through those with a fair amount of joy, but just not believing the moment … and then Shanny and I did a really nice job networking around with the other parents … we’ve stayed in contact.”

After retiring from full-time racing in 2020, Johnson’s been all about family. Recently, he even admitted the biggest risk he took that paid off  — i.e., waiting long to marry Chandra. Fast forward to today, and that love still lives on.

As Johnson opens up about his life as a father and husband, his long-fought charter battle as Legacy Motor Club’s team owner has finally been resolved. But now the Hall of Famer shows no signs of slowing down as a driver or a team owner…

Jimmie Johnson reveals motivation behind retirement delay

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, now 50, has revealed what continues to drive him to race despite a career already defined by excellence. With seven series championships and 83 wins, Johnson retired from full-time racing following a brief foray into IndyCar, but he still has his toes in motorsports as team owner of Legacy Motor Club.

Further, he hasn’t completely stepped away from NASCAR, returning selectively to compete in high-profile events like the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 this season, where he finished third and 40th, respectively. While many wonder why he hasn’t hung up his racing boots for good, Johnson insists it’s never been about adding to his legacy.

Instead, his motivation has evolved beyond wins and accolades. Speaking to The Athletic, he said, “It’s really about having fun now. The more time I spend around the Cup Series with this generation of car, the more I realize my chances of having a real shot to win. So my goals have shifted: If it helps the team, I’m in. If I get to go out there and have fun, I’m absolutely in.”

With talks of his debut at the much-anticipated San Diego race next year on Father’s Day, Johnson now finds that the thrill of racing, camaraderie, and the chance to support his Legacy Motor Club team outweigh the pressure of chasing victories.