CUP: Johnson Lauded At Awards Ceremony

Sprint Cup

CUP: Johnson Lauded At Awards Ceremony

Jimmie Johnson was honored as the 2009 series champion at Friday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup awards ceremony...

Bob Pockrass | http://www.scenedaily.com | Posted December 05, 2009 Las Vegas, NV

Four time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson speaks during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series awards banquet during the final day of Champions Week. (Photo: Getty Images)

It was a good thing that the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony was in Las Vegas on Friday night and not New York, where it had been every year since 1981.

That’s because if the event was in New York, some of the drivers might not have known what year it was as they looked on stage and saw Jimmie Johnson. After all, the 34-year-old driver has won four consecutive Cup titles, a feat never done in the sport’s history.

Johnson was awarded a check for $6.6 million by Sprint for winning the championship as part of the ceremony at Wynn Las Vegas.

Photos: 2009 Champions Week

“What more could be said that wasn’t said last year … or the year before, or the year before?” said Jeff Gordon, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate who needed seven years to capture his four crowns. “Unbelievable guys. Extremely impressive. Congratulations.”

Among those on stage were team owner Rick Hendrick and crew chief Chad Knaus and in the crowd were about 240 Hendrick employees.

“I just don’t know what to say,” said Hendrick, who was honored with the Bill France Award of Excellence. “Man, four in a row. I stood up after [the 48 team’s] second championship and said, ‘You’re setting a new standard.’ Two years later, competing at the highest possible level every single week, you’re constantly raising the bar.

“When someone isn’t there to challenge you, you find a way to challenge yourselves. Those are the marks of a true champion. Now you officially are the standard.”

For his part in the banquet, Johnson showed he had been there before. He rattled through his sponsors and thank yous. He mentioned last year’s banquet when Cale Yarborough, the only other driver to have won three consecutive titles, greeted him on stage.

“Cale Yarborough, one of my heroes, threatened me not to win a fourth,” Johnson said. “So Cale, I’m sorry buddy. I went off and did it. I’m very proud of this accomplishment. … It is such an amazing experience.”

Page 1 of 3

12 3