It was a tough time in
Daytona. This one is for all of the 48 lovers for fans. I've had a lot of support and it was a tough time for us, we learned a lot as a race team, a lot of boos, but as the season has gone on, it's really changed and I think people have noticed the hard effort I've put in, myself, Chad, Rick and there's a lot of respect there that I appreciate.
Q:
You talked about how Chad things set up this year. After the talks you had with him and Rick during the off?season, are you surprised at the way Chad was able to evolve and take a little of the load off himself?
JJ:
In some ways, yeah, because Chad is so dedicated to the sport that it's almost hurtsome at times because he wants to win so bad and he's focused. He has not had the easiest road in his career either, working his way up the ranks and being a crew chief with some of the smaller teams with the sport. He's had to do it all through every step of the way and I commend Chad more than anybody could ever imagine for the decisions that he made at the start of the season, finding the right guys to build confidence in and put around him that he could rely on so that way he could have a little time to himself and a little extra space to think about the more important things. So he's made an amazing, amazing adjustment this year.
Q:
Chad, as painful as it was, did those four races, watching on TV, did they help as the season went on?
CK:
What I really think it did is it helped the guys on the team obviously and helped them realize they were capable of doing what was needed to be done. It was tough when we won Daytona it was real tough, but it was probably the proudest moment of my life leading up to that point, above and beyond winning Fontana for our first event, 600s, whatever it was. Because I was so proud of the group of guys that we were able to assemble that they were able to go out there and carry out their jobs and win an event without me. That was really neat. That was very, very cool for those guys to be able to do that, because they took it upon themselves and they all had to buy stock in that deal. It was a total team effort. For those guys to win those races, it was not Jimmie winning the race; it was the whole team winning the race and I think that was pretty cool.
Q:
I know your dad has been an important part of your life; what was it like that moment when you were able to finally embrace him in victory lane, that stage there?
JJ:
It's great. I have a lot of friends, family here, and interesting on the friends side of this, knowing people were planning a trip down here to hopefully celebrate so I was trying to put it out of my head. It was very special.
I have to point out that a lot of credit has to go to Chandra for tolerating me the last couple of weeks. I've done my best to put up a nice, calm front in all of you, and it's been difficult and she's done an amazing job supporting me through it's very special to have my family here, my friends here and obviously all of the support and love I have from her for all of this, very special.
Q:
You looked like you were about to come out of your skin the last 20 laps when the race would not get over, how difficult was it?
CK:
I wasn't that bad, was I?
Q:
You looked bad on TV.
![Jimmie Johnson's 2006 championship winning team. [Pic Credit image.net]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/281326.jpg)
