MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES & QUOTES
APRIL 24, 2017

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – Race Winner
IT TOOK SEVEN YEARS FOR YOU TO GET A SECOND WIN AT BRISTOL. YOU WERE THE GUY ON THAT FINAL RUN THAT FOUND THE BOTTOM FIRST AND BEST
“Yeah, it was kind of interesting because when the No. 42 (Kyle Larson) was there, it just created an environment to run the top and I wasn’t as good on the top. The No. 42, not being up there and that first couple of cars; the bottom was really where it was at for the short run. This Lowe’s Chevrolet was flying!

“I’m so happy to give everybody at A.O. Smith a good ride on the quarter panel this weekend. We wouldn’t be here without a ton of support from Valvoline, Gatorade, the fans, Lowe’s, and Chevrolet. This track has been difficult over the years and we really hit on something Saturday afternoon in that last practice session around the bottom and honestly, it’s what I’ve been looking for here for 16 years and we finally figured it out. So, I’m very very happy.”

WHEN YOU SCORED YOUR 7TH CHAMPIONSHIP AND TIED RICHARD PETTY AND DALE EARNHARDT, YOU WERE VERY HUMBLE ABOUT BEING INCLUDED INTO THEIR CLASS. NOW YOU ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM HALL OF FAMER, CALE YARBOROUGH; AND TWO AWAY FROM DARRELL WALTRIP AND BOBBY ALLISON.
“That’s just mind-blowing. I wouldn’t be here without Mr. Hendrick’s support. Thanks to him and to Jeff Gordon for believing in me. For Hendrick Motorsports to make this job kind of a family environment for all of us to thrive in has been a perfect environment for me and (crew chief) Chad Knaus and for the consistent group of guys behind me through all these years has led to the environment to win 82 races, or whatever it is, which is just insane. I’m truly humbled. I’m excited to win back-to-back races. I’m excited to win at Bristol. I guess we’ll be at Indy testing for the next two days and we’ll show up at Richmond and try again.”