CONCORD, N.C. – This Sunday will mark the final race for Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus as a driver-crew chief pairing with the No. 48 team.
In 2019, Knaus will crew chief the No. 24 team with driver William Byron, and Kevin Meendering will take over the role of No. 48 team crew chief with Johnson.
With the end of an era approaching, let’s take a look back at Johnson and Knaus’ 17 seasons together by the numbers.
One – Daytona 500 win (2013).
Two – Southern 500 wins (2004, 2012).
Three – Wins together in Johnson’s rookie season, tied for most all-time.
Four – Brickyard 400 wins (2006, 2008-09, 2012), Charlotte 600 wins (2003-05, 2014) and NASCAR All-Star Race wins (2003, 2006, 2012-13), all the most all-time for a driver-crew chief pairing. Also the length of a win streak the duo compiled in 2007, the only driver-crew chief pairing with a four-race win streak in the last 20 years.
Five – Consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships, a record-long streak, from 2006 to 2010.
Seven – NASCAR Cup Series championships together, tied for the most all-time with the driver-crew chief pairing of Richard Petty and Dale Inman.
10 – The race number in which Johnson and Knaus earned their first win together in the driver’s rookie season (NAPA AUTO PARTS 500 in Fontana, California, on April 28, 2002).
11.9 – Average starting position for Johnson and Knaus over 601 races together.
12.57 – Average finishing position for Johnson and Knaus over 601 races together.
15 – Times Johnson and Knaus made the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the only driver-crew chief duo to make the playoffs in every year of its existence.
17 – Seasons together as a driver and crew chief (2002-2018).
26 – Johnson’s age when he started his first race with Knaus on the pit box. He’s now 43.
30 – Knaus’ age for his first race as the No. 48 team crew chief with Johnson as his driver. He’s now 47.
35 – Pole positions earned together, the first of which came in their first race as a duo – the 2002 Daytona 500.
45 – Runner-up results earned together.
81 – Wins together as driver and crew chief, the second-most all-time behind Petty and Inman.
218 – Top-five finishes earned together.
344 – Top-10 finishes earned together.
601 – Starts together. The longest active driver-crew chief pairing, Johnson and Knaus have more starts together than the second- and third-longest active driver-crew chief pairings have combined. This weekend’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be their 602nd.
18,584 – Laps led together.