NASCAR: Dover will be Jimmie Johnson’s 500th career green flag

DOVER, DEL.— Jimmie Johnson was still only a prospect in NASCAR’s developmental series when he tried to work up the nerve to talk to Jeff Gordon.

Johnson wanted to introduce himself to Gordon and ask for career advice, a chance to pick the brain of one of racing’s greats.

What he didn’t know during that fateful August 2000 meeting was Gordon already knew him. Not only did Gordon have advice, he had a pitch — Hendrick Motorsports was going to expand to four cars, and Johnson was their man.

“From that moment on, my head spun around on my shoulders,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s been turning heads on the track ever since he landed a ride with racing powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

He started three times in 2001 and flashed some early championship potential with his first win just 10 races into 2002. With crew chief Chad Knaus calling the shots, Johnson has driven the No. 48 Chevrolet to six championships and 74 career wins, including a track-record 10 at Dover International Speedway.

As NASCAR champions Tony Stewart and Gordon ready for retirement, the 40-year-old Johnson shows no signs of following their path and calling it quits any time soon. He’ll make his 500th career start Sunday at Dover after recently signing a two-year extension with team owner Rick Hendrick.

“The racing God’s have smiled on me and this team,” Johnson said.

“I have always been curious. Why, when, what tells you to stop? Mark (Martin) tried a half dozen times to retire and couldn’t walk away. I want to make sure I do it once and not keep coming back. What I am looking for is that moment. That moment that you say, ‘all right, it’s time.’ When that shows up, then I will step down.”

When the green flag drops Sunday, Johnson will become the 38th NASCAR driver with 500 career Cup starts. He’s fifth in the standings headed into the first Chase for the Sprint Cup cutoff race. The bottom four drivers out of the 16 in the field are cut from the title picture. Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin won the first two Chase races to earn an automatic berth into the next round.

Johnson is a sure thing to make it on points, but with his track record at Dover, the odds are strong he’ll park again in victory lane.

“I still couldn’t have dreamed this big and have this much take place for us,” he said.