CONCORD, N.C. -- Exactly three years ago, Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line first at Bristol Motor Speedway for his second win of the season.
The race at Bristol originally was scheduled for April 23, 2017, but rain forced the race to be pushed a day later on April 24. The wait was worth it after Johnson won in a thrilling fashion.
It was Johnson's second win at Bristol and happened to be his 82nd career win.
"For Hendrick Motorsports to make this job kind of a family environment for all of us to thrive in has been a perfect environment for me and (crew chief) Chad Knaus and for the consistent group of guys behind me through all these years has led to the environment to win 82 races, or whatever it is, which is just insane," Johnson said after the race. "I'm truly humbled. I'm excited to win back-to-back races. I'm excited to win at Bristol."
Johnson led for 81 laps during the race after he moved past competitor Joey Logano with 107 laps remaining in the 500-lap race. He lost the lead a couple of times, but was in control for the final 20 laps.
Johnson opted for the low side in the closing laps and held on through a combination of speed and smarts. His pit stop strategy allowed him to surge ahead on fresh tires.
At the time, it was the 16th year in a row in which Johnson has won multiple races. Only Richard Petty had a longer streak with 18 years.