The No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team is no stranger to success at Daytona International Speedway. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson heads to the “World Center of Racing” for possibly the final time in his career as a two-time DAYTONA 500 winner (2006 and 2013) and a one-time 400-mile event winner (July 2013).
NON-POINTS VICTORIES: In addition to the hardware Johnson received for winning three Cup Series points races at Daytona, he has two victories in the Duels qualifier events leading into the DAYTONA 500, (2010 and 2015) and two trophies from the Clash at DAYTONA exhibition race (2005 and 2019).
LAST TIME: The last time Johnson went to victory lane in a NASCAR Cup Series event was in 2019 when he won the Clash at DAYTONA event to open the season. It was the debut of partner Ally on the No. 48 Chevrolet and the last time Johnson hoisted a trophy in victory lane.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN THREES: Johnson and crew chief Cliff Daniels have hit a sweet spot as of late. Sunday’s third-place finish at Dover was their second top-five finish and third top-10 in the last three races. Two of Johnson’s four top-fives and three of his nine top-10s in 2020 also came in the last three Cup races. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevy’s average finish of 4.67 over the last three event is his best over a three-race stretch since the spring of 2017 where he had an average finish of 4.33 after he won at Texas and Bristol and finished 11th at Richmond.
MONSTER HONOR: On Saturday, Johnson was honored in multiple ways at Dover International Speedway to commemorate his last time racing at the track as a full-time driver. The street in front of the venue’s grandstands was renamed “Jimmie Johnson Drive,” and he had his name cemented in victory lane as “The Monster Mile Master.” He also saw his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE displayed in the hands of the track’s enormous Miles the Monster statue.
ON THE BUBBLE: This weekend’s event at Daytona is crucial in Johnson’s quest for a record-breaking eighth championship. He enters Daytona four points shy of the playoff cutoff, just behind teammate William Byron. Johnson failed to make the playoffs last season – the only time he did not qualify for the post-season since its inception in 2004.
CANCER HEROES: September is designated as childhood and ovarian cancer awareness month, and Johnson is partnering with his fellow competitors, the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and the NASCAR Foundation to support individuals who have overcome cancer. Fans have the opportunity to nominate a cancer hero to ride along at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next month. The auction ends Tuesday, Sept. 1. Visit www.NASCARfoundation.org/MTJF for more details.
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