HOMESTEAD, Fla. – In the lead-up to his run toward a seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, HendrickMotorsports.com followed Jimmie Johnson to provide a glimpse into what race day is like for one of the Championship 4 drivers.
The last time we checked in, the No. 48 team pit crew was giving Johnson one final salute before the green flag waved.
Relive the first half of the feature here.
Now, as a thrilling race nears its climactic finish, below is part two of A Day in the Life.
7:02 p.m. ET: As Johnson sprinted toward the checkered flag as the race leader, his No. 48 teammates excitedly watched the finish from atop the pit road wall.
7:03 p.m. ET: With the race win – and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship – in hand, the pit crew athletes leap onto pit road to celebrate, some climbing back toward the front of the pit box to congratulate crew chief Chad Knaus.
7:04 p.m. ET: Knaus embraces Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, both of whom were watching the final moments of the race atop the No. 48 team pit box.
7:07 p.m. ET: Johnson celebrates with his teammates and the fans by performing a burnout, holding a championship flag throughout.
7:15 p.m. ET: With his teammates gathered in anticipation, Johnson drives his way into Victory Lane and the celebration begins.
7:25 p.m. ET: After a handful of on-stage interviews, with his family by his side, Johnson finally gets to hold his seventh career Cup trophy.
7:45 p.m. ET: The championship “hat dance” is up next with his teammates, who are soaking in the experience.
8:11 p.m. ET: The No. 48 team invites the No. 88 team to the stage, and the two teams that share a single race shop celebrate together.
8:19 p.m. ET: The champagne is up next, and with it comes a Gatorade bath for the ages. Joining in the festivities is Hendrick.
“It’s fun to do it with them, it means a lot to them and it means a lot to me,” Hendrick smiled. “I carry some extra clothes so that I can go change.”
9:28 p.m. ET: Many more interviews await, including one-on-one sessions, a live shot on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” a trip to NBC’s set and eventually the media center to meet with the gathered media members.
11 p.m. ET: Johnson heads back to Victory Lane along with Knaus to pose for individual photos with their families, guests and partners.
11:59 p.m. ET: A trip around the track to reunite with all seven of his trophies in a photo shoot is next on Johnson’s list.
12:15 a.m. ET: Another interview session is followed by another photo shoot with the seven trophies. And Johnson’s night is only just beginning, as he will soon head back to his hotel to celebrate with friends and family. And after what he will later estimate is one hour of sleep, his whirlwind championship media tour will continue with a trip to New York City.
Relive the trip to The Big Apple here, and look back at how Johnson prepared for the championship race in the first part of his A Day in the Life feature.