Kyle Larson Credits Jimmie Johnson for Starting the Tradition That Excites Every NASCAR Champion

The NASCAR Champion’s Journal is a book that every Cup Series champion passes on to his successor every year. After winning the 2025 title at the Phoenix Raceway last Sunday, Kyle Larson is currently in possession of it. During a conversation on NASCAR’s The Day After, he was asked if he had taken a look at its pages and which was the first entry he went through.

Larson revealed that he has begun going through it from the beginning. The tradition was begun by the seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson back in 2005 and has become one of the most exciting practices. Larson said, “It’s just really cool to see how long it’s kind of gone on, and it’s definitely the most special piece of winning the championship.” 

“It’s really cool that I’ll be in there a couple times now, and I get to read what Joey [Logano] wrote to [Ryan] Blaney and then what Blaney wrote back to Joey. I think that is what I’m most excited to see now.”

The Hendrick Motorsports driver continued to give credit to Johnson for beginning the tradition in the first place and hoped that he could keep it in his hands for as long as realistically possible.

“I’m so thankful that Jimmy started that because I think it’s going to continue on for who knows how long, and it’s going to be pretty amazing to see someday.  I guess I won’t be able to see it at some point, but hopefully, yeah, I get to  keep my hands on it for a while.”

So, what is written in the journal that the reigning champion is so obsessed with?

The secretive content of the Champion’s Journal

In short, nobody knows what is written in the journal except for those who are Cup Series champions. The journal itself might have remained a secret forever had Johnson not been photographed handing it over to Martin Truex Jr. in 2017. Logano, among others, believes that the best part about the book is that its contents are secretive.

Logano said in 2022, “That’s the best part about this is that nobody even really knows what it is. Nobody knows what’s written in it.” Larson himself said in 2021, “It’s something that’s so special that you want to read it once when you get it and once again before I give it to the next guy. It’s an extremely special book.”

The Team Penske driver’s excitement proves that he will be thanking the gods for putting the book in his hands once again.