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Chad Knaus names Jimmie Johnson’s stand-out NASCAR Cup race win that ‘means an awful lot’

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Justin P Joy | Last updated 1/17/24

Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus will be officially inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday, January 17. In the first year of becoming eligible, the duo was inducted into the prestigious list on their first attempt as part of the Class of 2024. Legendary driver Donnie Alison joins them on the entry list.

Jimmie Johnson is one of the most successful drivers in the sport’s history, and Knaus was the mastermind behind achieving that success at Hendrick Motorsports. Together, they have won 82 Cup races and seven championships in a partnership over one and a half decades at NASCAR’s premier level.

Recently, he revealed their best win as a duo, and it was their first NASCAR Cup race win. It came in 2002, Johnson’s rookie year at the iconic Auto Club Speedway, which was recently demolished as part of a new track project by NASCAR. The trophy from the event will feature in the HOF box of Knaus. It was previously kept at his home.

Up until recently, the only trophy I ever kept in my office was our first very win in Fontana in 2002. It is going into the Hall of Fame in my box, so it is not in my office right now. That one really stands out. I feel like that kind of solidified and started our journey together. If we hadn’t won that race, we would have been fine. It lit the fuse and ignited it, which was pretty special. From a win standpoint, that one means an awful lot. Knaus told Hendrickmotorsports.com.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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