CONCORD, N.C. -- April 8, or 4/8, will pay homage to seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who has been the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet for nearly two decades.
To honor Johnson, one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time, let's take a look at 10 of his most memorable Cup Series races.
April 28, 2002: First career win
In Johnson’s rookie season in the Cup Series, he exploded on to the scene. His 13th career start saw Johnson earn his first Cup Series win, which happened to be at his hometown track in Fontana, California. Johnson later described the moment as "the day he knew he was going to be employed."
Feb. 19, 2006: First DAYTONA 500 win
Johnson rolled off the grid in ninth place and had a hard-fought battle with two competitors on his tail to secure his first DAYTONA 500 win. A caution in the final turn of the race froze the field, which gave Johnson the victory.
"It's one of two tracks that you get a title for winning," Johnson said earlier this year. "... When I won in (2006), all year long that's how it was announced and it was so apparent to me how big that race is. It didn't matter the interview I did or where I went, (I was the) DAYTONA 500 winning driver. It's just a huge title and a huge race."
Nov. 19, 2006: Final race of the season gives Johnson his first Cup Series title
Nine months to the day after his first DAYTONA 500 win, Johnson earned his first championship in the final race of the season at Homestead. While Johnson placed ninth in the last playoff race, he earned 143 Cup Series points, which gave him the title. He finished 56 points ahead of the second-place driver.
Nov. 11, 2007: Johnson wins 10th race in one season
Johnson’s 2007 season started off with a bang and he reached a career high at Phoenix International Raceway (now Phoenix Raceway) when he won his 10th race of the season. The event was Johnson’s final victory of the year, but still set him up to win his second championship in a row. At that time the last driver to win in back-to-back seasons was Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon.
March 21, 2010: Earns 50th career victory
Johnson secured two championships before his 50th career victory came at Bristol Motor Speedway. He started in fourth place and weaved in and out of the top position throughout the entire event. With seven laps to go in the 500-lap race, Johnson surged to the lead and maintained it to earned his 50th career win and third victory of the 2010 season.
Nov. 21, 2010: Five titles in a row
Johnson placed second at the final race of the season at Homestead, but the finish gave him 175 Cup Series points and allowed him to place first in the points standings by 39. It marked his fifth championship in a row, a record no one has touched. Aside from Johnson, only Cale Yarborough has won three consecutive titles.
July 6, 2013: Johnson sweeps Daytona races
Johnson swept the races at Daytona in 2013, becoming just the fourth driver to do so. He earned his second DAYTONA 500 win earlier in the season and won the second race at the superspeedway less than six months later. The win made him the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep the races at Daytona and marked his fourth victory of the season. Johnson would go on to win two more races in 2013 to help him secure his sixth Cup Series championship.
May 31, 2015: 10th career win at Dover International Speedway
Johnson won his 10th career race at the Delaware track, becoming the fifth driver to score double-digit wins at a single track. Johnson joined Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip on this list.
Nov. 20, 2016: Making history with seven titles
The 2016 title was an extremely tight finish for Johnson, but he took home his seventh championship after he placed first at the Homestead race on Nov. 20. Via the newer points system, Johnson earned 40 points with the victory, which placed him four points ahead of the second-place driver and just five ahead of the third-place driver in the standings. It marked his seventh championship, tying him with Earnhardt and Petty for the most NASCAR titles.
June 4, 2017: 83rd Cup Series win
Johnson’s 2017 win at Dover International Speedway marked his 83rd Cup Series win. It extended into overtime, which saw Johnson shoot ahead for a superior start. An accident during the second lap of overtime froze the field, making him the winner. With that victory, Johnson became tied for fifth on the all-time wins list with Yarborough and is one win behind tying Waltrip and Allison for fourth. He’s 10 wins behind former teammate Gordon for third place.