Jimmie Johnson on retirement: "I want to do it when the time is right"

After a three-year drought between NASCAR titles, the seven-time champion understands that achieving No. 8 will take a resolve unlike any other.

I want to do it when the time is right. If I start thinking about my safety and concerned about injury, it’s time.

Jimmie Johnson on retirement

For now, Johnson is still passionate about racing. But “living” and establishing a balance between work and family takes precedence for the father of two young girls. Over the past year, the Johnson’s have established dual residences between Aspen, Colorado and Charlotte, N.C. But he’s not entirely certain where he’ll call home when Johnson’s ready to hang up his racing helmet.

“I think my kids and their schooling and where their roots go down will dictate more of that,” Johnson said. “For us, right now, we’re just living. Prior to kids, we traveled a lot. We were always on the run. Social media wasn’t as popular then and it wasn’t always obvious where I was between races. But we love to explore and travel and go places and do things.

“Now we’re back into the flow and we’re just living. I’ve always felt — and thankfully (wife) Chani is in the same boat — if we don’t get out and live, it’s hard to maintain balance in life and this job requires so much, that we’ve realized the off-season won’t cover that. We need breaks throughout. We need other experiences along the way between races. And Aspen is just an extension of that.”

Getting to where he's at

Certainly, the outdoor lifestyle suits Johnson to a tee. Skiing during the winter months, biking and hiking during in spring and summer. He has that option now. When he first received a call from Hendrick Motorsports to drive a Late Model in 1997, Johnson just wanted to fit in.

“Five days later I bought a ticket, called (Ron) Hornaday, moved to Charlotte and spent every day of the week going to lunch spots and passing out business cards,” Johnson recounts. “Any business card I got, I’d write a letter and send it to the person.

“I was so obsessed with networking and trying to establish myself and get to where I am, I don’t think I could have had this healthier lifestyle and enjoyed the things I do now then. I wouldn’t have made it. I wouldn’t have stood out as the guy that was super hungry and wanted it.

“Plus, it took me a long time to learn these cars, to learn the industry. So I think the timing has worked out well for me and this is helping me prolong the second half of my career. The first half, I had to be the guy that was at Big Daddy’s (in Mooresville, N.C.), eating hush puppies and drinking sweet tea.”

Johnson isn’t certain whether the randomness of NASCAR Playoffs — where an engine failure, wreck or a bad pit stop can instantly take a driver out of contention — will affect his odds of securing an eighth title. But as the No. 48 Lowe’s crew exhibited again in 2016, winning is the best strategy.

“I haven’t looked at the stats to know — with our history — if I’d be in a better position or a worse position,” Johnson said. “We’ve always felt like our ability to win championships has come on winning races. Still, if you’re winning races, I think that’s going to be king.

“Certainly, there are points available for stages. It’s going to require us to qualify better and start races better. It’s going to put pressure on us. There’s a couple of us there that finish well but maybe don’t start as well as we need to.”

In 15 full seasons of Cup racing, Johnson’s career average qualifying effort is 11.1. The last three seasons he’s only mustered one pole per year and his average finish in 2015 and 2106 creeped up to 12.1.

No change in approach

Despite the changes to the Cup point system, with NASCAR adding playoff points for stage wins in the races and awarding bonuses for the regular season winner, Johnson won’t change his approach.

“Still, in my gut, I feel like it will be very similar to last year,” Johnson said. “You’re going to have to go to Homestead and win. How you get in the final four might be a little different. It’s going to require more out of us all year long to be part of the final four.

“There’s no riding. You don’t win and just kind of cruise. I don’t think you’re safe with just one race win. You're going to need multiple race wins before you can check the box and relax a little bit. So I think it will keep the pressure on the bulk of the field all season long.”

When will he hang up the helmet?

Would Johnson considering resting on his laurels if he were to win an eighth title? If he has an exit strategy from the sport, he’s not revealing it. Johnson believes every competitor would love to have the opportunity to retire while on top their game. But few athletes have that luxury.

“When the fire goes out is the tricky part," he said. "You look at Carl (Edwards) and Nico (Rosberg) as surprises, like, ‘Really?’ So competitive, so young. I feel like Peyton (Manning) was on the fence for a while and the fire was still burning but maybe age or injury was making him consider it.

“I’ve been very fortunate not to have anything in my mind, thinking or retirement. So, if I can time it that way, great. But I’m more concerned about when the fire goes out. And I’ll use Mark Martin as an example. It was four, five, six times he tried to walk away and the fire was still there and he came back. In talking to Mark, he really missed it. He wasn’t at peace out of the car.

“I want to do it when the time is right. If I start thinking about my safety and concerned about injury, it’s time. I’ve always been very aware of that. And then when it feels like work someday, I’ll stop, but it hasn’t been there yet.”