Johnson finds voice during last NASCAR season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson stood alone on the track at Pocono Raceway, empty grandstands in front of him, a ghost town of a garage behind him. He was posing for photos to commemorate his final start at the Pennsylvania track but seemed to be the only one at the party.

This final full-time season in NASCAR for the seven-time champion has hardly been the sendoff tour anyone imagined. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were feted at nearly every track in their retirement seasons with gifts, special mentions and rousing ovations from the crowd.

Johnson has been denied all of the attention. The coronavirus pandemic halted racing for 10 weeks, spectators have largely been banned and pre-race programs that would have honored Johnson have been scrapped.

Then came the cruelest blow of all: Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus and his streak of 663-consecutive starts — most among active NASCAR drivers — came to an end Sunday when he missed the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Johnson won’t be cleared to race until he tests negative twice in a 24-hour span. Johnson is expected to be retested this week in an effort to get back in the No. 48 Chevrolet for Sunday’s race at Kentucky Speedway.

This farewell party has been an absolute bust, but Johnson isn’t feeling sorry for himself.

“I can be down and out on my situation, but if I turn on the news and I see how this virus has impacted so many others, I quickly feel thankful that I’m asymptomatic and that I don’t have any major issues,” Johnson said. “We’re hopeful that through our situation that maybe some others can learn from this as well.”

Both Johnson and his wife, Chani, tested positive. He said their two young daughters tested negative.

The positive test stunned Johnson, a fitness freak who has studied nutrition, cycled through the mountains with Lance Armstrong, swam with Olympians and completed the Boston Marathon. He insisted his family, led by “rule follower” Chani, was diligent in trying to protect themselves from the virus and have no idea how it was contracted.

In fact, in his compulsiveness to stay ahead of the virus, Johnson was tested for antibodies in the early days of the pandemic. He

Matt Slocum / Associated Press Jimmie Johnson stands near the start-finish line before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., in June.