CONCORD, N.C. – For Jimmie Johnson, racing has been a lifelong passion. But just as important for the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion in those early days was making sure he did what it took to race each weekend.
The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 explained in an entry on Ally’s “Do It Right” blog that he had to do his chores around the house in order to earn his entry fee.
“My parents set up an ‘hourly wage’ allowance for us, and that started as soon as I could hold a shovel or rake the yard,” he recalled. “For a couple bucks an hour, I would go out and chip in with my chores. It was everything from yardwork to washing dishes and anything else I needed to do to earn my opportunity to go racing each weekend.”
Once he had enough money saved up, he was able to hit the track. His parents helped instill that mindset of hard work and understanding the value of a dollar – traits he has kept with him throughout life.
“I’ve taken a lot of those lessons, and my wife, Chani, and I are trying to instill them in our girls, Genevieve and Lydia,” the driver said.
Read more about the early days of Johnson’s racing career and how he learned financial responsibility in the full blog post here.