Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus, who formed NASCAR’s longest driver–crew chief partnership lasting 17 years, ended their collaboration in October 2018. The duo accumulated 83 wins and seven Cup titles together, but the split came after a period of declining performance that prompted the change.
In an exclusive interview before the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Johnson shared the primary reasons behind the decision to part ways amid frustration over recent results, despite a committed effort from all involved.
The Challenges Leading to the End of a Historic Partnership
Johnson explained that the emotions surfacing during the decision included considerable frustration. He said,
“A lot of those emotions came to reality months ago when we started addressing this change. The most current emotion is frustration. We’re not running like we need to and, the crazy thing is, I see the effort on all sides. Just, for whatever reason, we are not getting the results. That’s really the big piece why this change is happening,”
—Jimmie Johnson, Driver.
Coming into 2017 as a seven-time Cup champion, Johnson recorded three wins in the opening 13 races but finished the year 10th in points with a career-low 217 laps led. The downward trend continued in 2018, marking Johnson’s first winless season after 17 full years in the Cup Series. He finished with only two top-five results and led just 40 laps out of nearly 9,800, signaling the need for significant change.
Johnson also acknowledged the difficulty of ending his long-standing relationship with Knaus.
“It hasn’t been an easy thing to see through. The respect, the relationship, I have with Chad, his family, his history with my family, this is not an easy change to make. But I wouldn’t be in the process of seeing this through if I didn’t think it was going to be better for myself, and for all parties involved,”
—Jimmie Johnson, Driver.
Adding to the challenges, Johnson lost Lowe’s as a full-season sponsor after the 2018 season. Lowe’s had been a consistent partner since Johnson started full-time racing and had supported the No. 48 team alongside Knaus since 2002.
The Aftermath of the Split: New Partnerships and Continued Struggles
Following the split, Hendrick Motorsports appointed Kevin Meendering as Johnson’s new crew chief for the 2019 season, with Ally Financial stepping in as the main sponsor. Meanwhile, Chad Knaus moved to the No. 24 car to guide rookie William Byron. Despite these adjustments, Johnson’s performance did not improve.
Johnson went winless again in 2019, missed the playoffs, and dropped to 18th in the final standings. The 2020 season mirrored these struggles, with another winless campaign and a repeat of the 18th-place finish in points. These results culminated in Johnson stepping away from full-time Cup racing at the end of the decade, marking the close of a remarkable era.
Currently, Johnson, now 49 years old, serves as the majority owner of Legacy Motor Club and continues to compete on a part-time basis, signaling a new chapter in his racing career.
