CONCORD, N.C. – This Easter weekend brings a chance to get away from the racetrack and recharge before the NASCAR Cup Series returns a week from Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson decided to take advantage of the location of last weekend’s race, Texas Motor Speedway, to take a trip out of the country.
“Since we're so close to the border, we're heading down into Mexico tomorrow, taking a little Easter trip with some friends,” he said Sunday. “Definitely get in some margaritas and some chips and guacamole and a sunburn. I doubt I'll be tan when I come back. I'm either red or white, so I'll show up with a nice sunburn at Bristol.”
And the off-weekend couldn’t have come at a better time for Hendrick Motorsports, as it grabbed its first win of the season at Texas.
"I can’t wait to celebrate during this off-weekend with my family and friends and really enjoy this," Johnson said after securing the win.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. agreed with the premise, noting that he’ll be able to enjoy his off-weekend a lot more knowing that he and the No. 88 team grabbed their first top-five finish of the season last Sunday.
“It’s always fun to have a good run when you’ve got an off-weekend coming up,” he said during a post-race Periscope live stream.
It marks the second consecutive season that Johnson has won entering the Easter off-weekend, and after last year's Superman-fueled win, No. 48 team crew chief Chad Knaus explained why that’s so beneficial.
"You always want to try to win before an off-week, because they last two weeks," he said. "That's the best way you could ever set it up."