DOVER, Del. – On Friday, Jimmie Johnson acknowledged how special it would be to match one of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s notable milestones – earning 10 Cup wins on a single track.
Sunday afternoon at Dover International Speedway – a place where Johnson has won more often than anyone in Sprint Cup Series history – he accomplished that feat.
Johnson joined Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and David Pearson as just the fifth driver to earn double-digit Cup wins at a single track.
“Very thankful for the opportunity that I’ve had at Hendrick Motorsports, the amazing people I’ve had to work with, support from our sponsor Lowe’s, (No. 48 team crew chief) Chad (Knaus), (Hendrick Motorsports owner) Rick (Hendrick),” Johnson said. “All of those things and the fact that I sit in that 48 car has allowed me to win the 10 races here.”
In the process of earning Sunday’s win, he led 23 laps – leaving him with 2,999 led in his Sprint Cup career at Dover. If he leads just one lap when the series returns to Dover during the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Johnson will become only the seventh driver in series history to lead 3,000 or more laps at a single track.
The only active driver to have accomplished that feat? Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, who has led 3,744 at Martinsville Speedway.
And with 74 career Cup wins, Johnson is just two away from tying Earnhardt for seventh all-time.
“I’m almost in shock that we’re there,” Johnson said. “I mean, 74 race wins, 10 here -- you can’t dream that big.”
Johnson, whose four wins in 2015 lead the series, said the chance to tie Earnhardt is a “great opportunity” at history, but it was never a goal he set for himself at the start of his career.
“It’s right there in front me, so I look at it and think, ‘Wow, this is incredible. What an opportunity,’” he said.
With the next historic achievement within reach, Johnson once again credited Hendrick Motorsports for providing him an opportunity in the first place.
“I’m just blown away and honored by what we’ve done with our opportunity,” he said, “and honored to have a shot at history with Dale and then our 10 wins here.”