"That fire is way too intense": When Jimmie Johnson refused to let a playoff miss end his NASCAR story

There are times when even legends like Jimmie Johnson face crossroads. For Johnson, a seven‑time NASCAR Cup champion who had previously never missed the playoffs, the crash at Indianapolis in 2019 that knocked him out of the running felt seismic. But rather than seeing it as a finale, he refused to let the incident end his NASCAR career.

At 43, Johnson was all too aware that whispers about retirement were swirling around him, prompted as much by naysayers as by genuine concern. But asked whether he was ready to walk away, his answer came without hesitation or any pressure.

"I don't know. That's a question that's being asked a lot, and certainly, I think here in the next four to six months, I'm sure Mr. Hendrick's going to be pushing on me for an answer. So I know that's out there, but if I'm forced to make a decision, I'm choosing more years. I'm not done yet. That fire is way too intense," Jimmie Johnson said via the Dale Jr. Download podcast in September 2019 (57 minutes onwards).

It was a rare insight into the heart of a competitor who had seen it all, the highs of five straight championships, the record books, the weight of legacy. Yet, that internal spark, the relentless drive to fight, to climb back, to compete, was still burning.

The driver had only three top-five finishes during the 2019 season and finished the year ranked 18th, scoring 835 points. Jimmie Johnson announced his retirement from full-time racing in 2020 and began competing in the IndyCar series the following year.

Jimmie Johnson gives his take on the GOAT talk around Shane Van Gisbergen

Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has always presented his honest and calculated opinions on different topics around the NASCAR community throughout his career.

There have been talks around Shane van Gisbergen being NASCAR's greatest of all time when it comes to road course racing. Johnson recently presented his take on the debates surrounding the Kiwi driver.

"It’s tough to put that label on a guy two seasons into driving stock cars. But the conversation is warranted. I think time will tell. He is in another stratosphere compared to road course racers. The greatest of all time, I think that is kind of given to someone over a long duration of time, versus just a couple of years. The skills he has, if he stays in the sport for five, ten years, in my mind, the way I view it, I would then start to think greatest of all time." Jimmie Johnson said via the Cup Scene.

Jeff Gordon is considered among the greatest NASCAR drivers on road courses, having won nine races in his career on road courses at a time when they weren't as popular.