'When Rick Hendrick Broke Us Up…': Jimmie Johnson Reflects on Changed Relationship Dynamic With Chad Knaus

Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus share one of the closest friendships in NASCAR. The driver-crew chief combo ran riot on the race tracks from 2002 to 2018, grabbing seven Cup Series championships in this time. Years after their separation at Hendrick Motorsports, how strong is their relationship today?

Johnson, now a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, was asked this question at the Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend. He responded by pointing out that the dynamics between them have changed a lot.

“When Rick [Hendrick] broke us up, the year or two that followed and competing against each other — it is not the easiest transition to go through,” he said.

“But having time to go through the Garage 56 program, and just how close our families are, we’ve really been able to continue to grow our friendship and relationship,” Johnson continued.

Hendrick had separated Johnson and Knaus in the final years of the former’s driving career due to performance issues. There were also reports of a strained relationship between them.

Johnson continued to express how he doesn’t see Knaus very often now. But when he does, they share some good laughs. He added, “It is nice – I really enjoy it now, the time I spend with him and not being as laser-focused on performance, we can be a little more relaxed and share more laughs and such. So I cherish all the time I get with him.”

How did Johnson and Knaus first meet?

The first meeting between the duo happened back in 2001 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jay Guy, a former crew chief and a common friend, was the bridge that brought them together. He had joked out of the blue that Knaus ought to be the crew chief of Johnson without knowing that it would become reality a few days later.

Knaus said in a 2024 interview, “It wasn’t a week later, I got a phone call from Hendrick Motorsports because oddly enough, I had run into (HMS engine builder) Randy Dorton that next week. I think Randy mentioned my name to Jimmie and Jimmie was like, ‘Man, I just met the guy.’ So we kind of all got around the table.”

Knaus is currently the Vice President of Competition at Hendrick Motorsports. He was, rather fittingly, inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Johnson in 2024.

Judging from the healthy relationship between them now, there does happen to be a sliver of a chance that he might help Johnson in developing Legacy Motor Club someday. To watch them work together again would hit a lot of fans with a strong dose of nostalgia.