An Open Letter to Jimmie Johnson on Your Retirement:
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Lisa Janine Cloud for Skirts and Scuffs |
I’ve been told many times over the past 18 years that I
don’t look like a typical NASCAR fan. Those people, of course, aren’t fans at
all. If they were, they’d know that there’s no such thing as a typical NASCAR
fan. We come from all walks of life, and when we sit together in the stands at
the track, we’re the same; we’re race fans. Whatever number we’re wearing on
our shirts or our caps, we’re the same. That goes for the drivers, too. They’re
from many different places, and they share one thing among them: a desire to
win.
Many of those drivers are seeking their first trip to
Victory Lane, and others are hoping for a shot at greater glory with membership
in the Hall of Fame. One thing is certain. In some small way, whether they’ve
lost to you, battled against you, or hated you, they all want to be you.
After 83 wins, seven championships, and an inevitable lock
on a first ballot entry in the Hall of Fame, no other driver in this era of
racing has accomplished more for the sport, and every driver (and every fan) is
better for having witnessed your greatness firsthand.
I’ve locked horns with many racing fans who spoke your name
with hatred on their lips, but in nearly every case, I’ve left those arguments
having convinced them that even if they don’t like you (which was usually
because you were winning and preventing “their driver” from finding Victory
Lane), they at least owed you respect for your achievements. I had to get them
to realize that they were getting to see history made in the sport they love.
When would another driver win five consecutive championships again? It might
not ever happen again, but they got to see it. Even if they weren’t your fans,
they had to respect the driver who’d made that mark.
Over the years, I’ve planned events around races so that I
didn’t miss any of the on-track action. I’ve decorated my office with
memorabilia from your race wins. I’ve had the opportunity to meet you and talk
with you on multiple occasions. For NASCAR fans, apart from fans in almost
every other sport, we are blessed with opportunities that give us direct access
to our favorite drivers, and we begin to feel a camaraderie with our fellow
race fans as well as our favorite drivers. We’ll miss seeing you at the track, but
I’m thrilled that I’ll still get to watch you compete in an INDYCAR for at
least two seasons. Know this: I’ll be rooting for you just as much as I have
since you won that first race in California all those years ago. Thanks for
everything you’ve done for NASCAR, Jimmie. You’ll always be the reason I’m a
race fan.

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