Chad Knaus reminisces on his first lunch with Jimmie Johnson and "hitting it off straight away" with the NASCAR champion

As the iconic driver-crew chief duo of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus prepare for their Hall of Fame induction, the now-Hendrick Motorsports Vice President of Competition recently reflected on his first meeting with Johnson.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is set to be inducted in the NASCAR Hall of Fame alongside his longtime partner in crime, Chad Knaus. The duo will be joined by Pioneer Ballot inductee Donnie Allison, a member of the famous Alabama Gang.

In the weeks leading up to the Hall of Fame ceremony at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, Chad Knaus, in an interview with FOX Sports, reflected on the first lunch he had with Jimmie Johnson. He recounted the lunch where executives from Hendrick Motorsports played a crucial role in bringing them together. Knaus said:

"I can remember our first lunch where we sat down with the executives at Hendrick Motorsports, Randy [Dorton] and Ken Howes and Robbie Loomis and Brian Whitesell."

Despite coming from different backgrounds and experiences, Knaus and Johnson discovered commonalities in their racing history. He continued:

"We came from different areas, we came from different lives... But when we got together, we just had an immediate connection — a really, really good friendship. And it wasn't hard to form that with Jimmie. As we all know, he's an amazing individual, such a likable guy, and we hit it off straight away."

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Chad Knaus on why Jimmie Johnson continues to compete in NASCAR

Teamed up with Knaus at Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson won five straight Cup Series championships from 2006 to 2010, before adding two more titles to his name in 2013 and 2016.

The 48-year-old stepped away from full-time Cup Series racing at the end of the 2020 season. Johnson continued to make part-time appearances in the IndyCar Series in the next two seasons, driving for Chip Gannassi Racing.

The 83-time Cup race winner made his return to the Cup Series last season, this time as the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club. Johnson competed in multiple races across 2023 and is set to return once again on a part-time schedule in the upcoming season.

When asked about Jimmie Johnson's continued involvement in NASCAR, Chad Knaus pointed out that the 48-year-old icon is motivated by his genuine love for racing. He said in the same interview with FOX Sports:

"Facts are Jimmie's doing it because he enjoys it and he can — he could probably afford just to go to a beach and chill. We know he could."

Jimmie Johnson is set to compete in six Cup Series races in the 2024 season, starting from the iconic Daytona 500. He will pilot the Legacy Motor Club No.84 Toyota Camry XSE.