Johnson signs contract extensions
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
AP
Rick Hendrick, owner of the top NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, talks to the media at the Homestead-Miami International Speedway in Homestead, Fla. Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Getty Images for NASCAR
FONTANA, CA - OCTOBER 11: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, is congratulated by team owner Rick Hendrick in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway on October 11, 2009 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images for NASCAR
AVONDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 15: Jimmie Johnson (L), driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane with team owner Rick Hendrick (R) after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 15, 2009 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – As if things weren’t going well enough for Jimmie Johnson already.
Johnson’s team owner, Rick Hendrick, announced Friday he had signed Johnson to a contract extension that would keep him the driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 Chevrolet through the 2015 season. Johnson’s original deal was set to expire at the end of 2010.
In addition, Johnson’s primary sponsor, Lowe’s, has agreed to an extension through the 2013 season.
Since his first full-time Sprint Cup season in 2002, Johnson has won a series-leading 47 victories and only twice has finished outside the top two in the series standings.
Of the 16 NASCAR drivers who have recorded 40 or more wins, just three – Herb Thomas, David Pearson and Richard Petty – have higher career winning percentages.
“Jimmie is charting new territory in our sport, and that's due to a combination of natural talent and unsurpassed work ethic,” said Hendrick.
“How he’s committed himself is just incredible, and it shows in everything that he does – not just on the race track. There’s no question that he’s one of the great champions in all of sports, and he’s not done yet.”
Johnson is on the verge of winning his fourth consecutive Cup title. He leads second-place Mark Martin by 108 points with Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway remaining.
The Charlotte Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.
Since charlotteobserver.com does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Charlotte Observer.
If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.
@Nyx.CommentBody@