![11 Hollywoodcasino 400 C[1][10]](https://www.kansasspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1015/2022/09/10/11_HOLLYWOODCASINO_400_C110-56x35.png)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (October 14, 2020) – Jimmie Johnson has made a career of winning races and championships. The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports has compiled 83 career NASCAR Cup Series wins and seven Cup Series championships, tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. for the most titles in NASCAR history. Off the track, he has carved a niche in the world of physical fitness, having competed in several triathlons as well as the 2019 Boston Marathon.
This Sunday, Johnson will be making his final appearance at Kansas Speedway as a full-time Cup Series driver. In 28 career Cup Series starts at Kansas, Johnson has finished in the top-10 on 19 occasions. This includes victories in 2008, 2011 (October) and 2015 (May).
In honor of his immense contributions to NASCAR and his passion for cycling, Academy Sports + Outdoors will be donating 48 bikes and helmets to area youth, a group which will be comprised of pediatric patients at The University of Kansas Health System, the Official Health Care Provider of Kansas Speedway.
“Jimmie Johnson is the epitome of what a sports figure should be about,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “He has represented NASCAR with utmost class in everything he did on the track and away from it. Not only did he join two NASCAR legends in winning an astounding seven championships, but he also established a new benchmark for fitness in our sport. We appreciate the support from Academy Sports + Outdoors and The University of Kansas Health System to honor Jimmie in a unique way that will have a meaningful impact in the community.”
“I’m truly honored by this gift from Kansas Speedway,” Johnson said. “Over my career, I’ve enjoyed so much success on track and have personal ties to the community with the Herzog family. Cycling has become such a passion of mine so thanks to Academy for the bike donation – that will really make a difference. I’ve enjoyed cycling around the Speedway over the years and will miss racing there twice a year. I’m humbled by this gift and appreciative for the support.”
Johnson’s roots in NASCAR have a deep connection with the Kansas City Metropolitan area. From 1999-2001 – when Johnson was first starting off in the sport – he drove the No. 92 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Herzog Motorsports. The owner of that team was the late William Herzog and it was based out of St. Joseph, Missouri. Johnson competed in 69 races with the team before moving on to the Cup Series and Hendrick in 2002. He recorded one win with Herzog (at Chicago, 7/14/01) and posted a sixth-place finish in the first-ever Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway (9/29/01).
“This is an extremely generous donation, especially during these uncertain times,” said Dr. Stephen Lauer, MD Pediatrics at The University of Kansas Health System. “It will brighten the day for many of our pediatric patients and also provide them with the proper equipment these children need for necessary exercise. The efforts on the part of Jimmie Johnson, Kansas Speedway and Academy Sports + Outdoors is a terrific example of how teamwork can make a dream become reality.”
“We have enjoyed a tremendous relationship with Kansas Speedway for many years, and it’s these types of philanthropic efforts that keep the partnership strong, added Charles Rozanski, Vice President for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at The University of Kansas Health System.
The following is the complete schedule for Kansas Speedway’s 2020 fall NASCAR weekend:
Friday, Oct. 16: ARCA Menards Series Speediatrics 150 presented by 7:30 pm (FS1 or FS2)
The NASCAR Foundation (150 miles)#
Saturday, Oct. 17: NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Clean Harbors 200 (200 miles)* 3:00 pm (FOX)
Saturday, Oct. 17: NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 (300 miles)* 6:00 pm (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 18: NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 (400 miles)* 1:30 pm (NBC)
Times are CT
*Denotes first race in Playoffs Round of 8 #Denotes Championship race
For the latest news on everything Kansas Speedway please visit www.kansasspeedway.com.
Fans can follow Kansas Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kansasspeedway, Twitter (@kansasspeedway) and Instagram (kansasspeedway).
About Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a premier motorsports facility in the Midwest. The track, which opened in 2001, hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year, along with approximately 200 other event days each year. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2012, overlooks Turn 2 of the track.
About The University of Kansas Health System
The University of Kansas Health System is a premier academic health system, providing a full range of care for the region and the state of Kansas. It includes The University of Kansas Physicians, the largest multispecialty physician group in the region. The health system is affiliated with the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions, and their leading-edge research projects. In addition to its main location in Kansas City, the health system includes hospitals and clinics at HaysMed in Hays, St. Francis Campus in Topeka, Great Bend Campus and St. Rose Medical Pavilion in Great Bend, and Pawnee Valley Campus in Larned. Services range from routine primary care to multispecialty care for complex conditions. The health system provides the region’s only nationally verified burn center and nationally verified Level I Trauma Center, as well as a leading transplant program in liver, pancreas, kidney, heart, and blood and marrow. The cancer program is part of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, one of 70 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers. The health system’s Kansas City hospital has received Magnet nursing designation three times in a row for the highest level of care. The hospital has also ranked for more than a decade on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals lists, currently ranking in nine medical and surgical specialties. The health system receives no state or local appropriations, instead relying on operating revenue, bonding authority and philanthropy. For more information, visit kansashealthsystem.com.
About Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy is one of the leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailers in the United States. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to 259 stores across 16 contiguous states, primarily in the southern United States. Academy’s mission is to provide “Fun for All” and Academy fulfills this mission with a localized merchandising strategy and value proposition that strongly connects with a broad range of consumers. Academy’s product assortment focuses on key categories of outdoor, apparel, footwear and sports & recreation through both leading national brands and a portfolio of 17 private label brands, which go well beyond traditional sporting goods and apparel offerings.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
Kansas Speedway Media Contact:
Neal Gulkis, Director of Track Communications, Midwest Region, NASCAR
[email protected]; 305-224-3189