By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
CONCORD, N.C. — As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races the Roval configuration from NASCAR’s backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday afternoon, fans and media alike have seen signs that this could be the weekend that seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson and his fans have waited for.
Generally speaking, Johnson is no stranger to success at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With 35 starts (Non-Roval) at the 1.5-mile oval located in Concord, North Carolina, Johnson has amassed an impressive eight wins, 16 Top-5s, 22 Top-10s, five pole awards and led for an astounding 1,930 laps in competition.
Much of Johnson’s success came under the Lowe’s Motor Speedway banner between the 2004 and 2005 seasons when he won four races in a row at a track that use to be referred to as “Jimmie’s house”.
However, Johnson had a great run going one year ago in the first race on the Roval configuration with a chance to capture the victory.
That all went down hill with the laps winding down in last years event as he and fellow competitor Martin Truex Jr were heavily battling for the top spot. Johnson got to the inside of Truex’s No. 78 which didn’t turn out to be pretty.
Johnson spun, collecting Truex in the process. Johnson went on to finish the race in eighth.
When the Cup Series rolled out for practice and qualifying sessions yesterday, signs pointed in a way that could mean this is finally the weekend Johnson captures his first win since the 2017 AAA Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway.
Johnson went on to lead the series first practice yesterday afternoon at the Roval with a fast lap of 103.152 mph.
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Qualifying for the series took place late yesterday afternoon with the El Cajon, CA native qualifying his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet to a fourth-place spot on the grid for Sunday’s event. Johnson will start in the second row behind his Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron who captured his fourth pole of 2019 in his No. 24 Chevrolet with Alex Bowman right beside him in his No. 88 Chevrolet.
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Johnson would pick up where he left off the day before as second Cup practice took place on Saturday morning with Johnson finishing the session in the fourth position overall.
Final practice wouldn’t be as kind to Johnson and his No. 48, as he spun in turn five and wound up with some damage to his Chevrolet
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Even with that mishap in final practice, the team was working to repair what was referred to on social media as minor.
With his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman crashing hard in the final seconds of final practice and ultimately having to go to a backup car, that will bump up Johnson’s starting spot tomorrow to third.
Is this the weekend that Johnson finally pulls his No. 48 Chevrolet into victory lane in over two years?