WATCH: Actor Matthew McConaughey Delivers a Special Message to Jimmie Johnson

Published 11/20/2020, 1:52 AM EST

After 2 decades, Jimmie Johnson is finally hanging up his NASCAR boots. To make matters even sweeter, the sport is honoring him with one of the sport’s highest recognitions. As it turns out, the 7-time champion received the Bill France Award of Excellence.

For the uninitiated, this award recognizes people who made a massive impact on the sport. It is worth noting that this is not an annual award, so Johnson joins the likes of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, and Roger Penske.

Additionally, he also received a special message from Hollywood actor, Matthew McConaughey. The Interstellar star said, “When it comes to NASCAR championships, it’s the numbers, but Jimmie Johnson isn’t a statistic.

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“You can’t measure what this man has brought to the sport with just a number. He put the pedal to the metal, every single week.

“Wheeled his heart out and gave us so many unforgettable moments. In triumph or in defeat, he always exuded the class that made us proud to be fans of this great sport.”

The actor went on to insist that Jimmie Johnson truly embodies the role of a champion. This encompasses being a family man, a friend, and a role model. As a parting note, McConaughey congratulated the NASCAR legend on his career.

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Jimmie Johnson was truly delighted to receive the award

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NASCAR Vice President Ben Kennedy presented the trophy to Johnson at the 2020 NASCAR Awards show. The touched driver admitted that he was truly honored to receive the award. He also acknowledged the France family for their own contributions to NASCAR.

Jimmie Johnson confessed that he never expected to receive the award. However, he knew that this particular accolade was a massive achievement.

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Looking at the statistics, the #48 Hendrick Motorsports driver has won 83 races and 7 titles. The latter ties him with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. However, Johnson’s 5 consecutive title runs are a record exclusive to him.

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.