NASCAR Icon Makes Top 100 Professional Athletes List

Renowned NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has been named among ESPN’s Top 100 Professional Athletes of the 21st Century. Positioned at 47th on this exclusive list, Johnson’s inclusion nods to his illustrious career marked by seven NASCAR championship titles.

Johnson’s journey in motorsport is nothing short of legendary. With a career adorned with 83 NASCAR top-level race victories and seven championships, he shares the revered record with icons Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. His track record includes an awe-inspiring sequence of five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010 and a crowning win in 2016 that brought his tally to seven.

From his beginnings as a promising talent selected by Jeff Gordon to sustain the Hendrick Motorsports legacy, Johnson exceeded expectations early on, achieving a victory in just his 13th career start and becoming the first rookie to lead the Cup Series points standings. Key highlights of his career include his adaptability in 2013 with NASCAR’s introduction of the Generation-6 car, alongside his long-time crew chief Chad Knaus, leading to their sixth championship win.

Despite stepping back from full-time racing, Johnson continues to impact the sport, contributing as part of the ownership ensemble for Legacy Motor Club and continuing his relationship with racing elites like Richard Petty.

The recognition by ESPN not only celebrates Johnson’s past achievements but also his enduring legacy in auto racing.

1. Michael Phelps, Swimming
2. Serena Williams, Tennis
3. Lionel Messi, Soccer
4. LeBron James, Basketball
5. Tom Brady, Football
6. Roger Federer, Tennis
7. Simone Biles, Gymnastics
8. Tiger Woods, Golf
9. Usain Bolt, Track
10. Kobe Bryant, Basketball
11. Novak Djokovic, Tennis
12. Rafael Nadal, Tennis
13. Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer
14. Stephen Curry, Basketball
15. Katie Ledecky, Swimming
16. Tim Duncan, Basketball
17. Shaquille O’Neal, Basketball
18. Patrick Mahomes, Football
19. Lewis Hamilton, Auto Racing
20. Aaron Donald, Football
21. Diana Taurasi, Basketball
22. Sidney Crosby, Hockey
23. Kevin Garnett, Basketball
24. Albert Pujols, Baseball
25. Floyd Mayweather, Boxing
26. Peyton Manning, Football
27. Randy Moss, Football
28. Nikola Jokic, Basketball
29. Michael Schumacher, Auto Racing
30. Mike Trout, Baseball
31. Clayton Kershaw, Baseball
32. Marta, Soccer
33. Miguel Cabrera, Baseball
34. Tamika Catchings, Basketball
35. Dwyane Wade, Basketball
36. Maya Moore, Basketball
37. Ichiro Suzuki, Baseball
38. Barry Bonds, Baseball
39. Kevin Durant, Basketball
40. Justin Verlander, Baseball
41. Dirk Nowitzki, Basketball
42. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Basketball
43. Alex Rodriguez, Baseball
44. Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing
45. David Ortiz, Baseball
46. Max Scherzer, Baseball
47. Jimmie Johnson, Auto Racing
48. Thierry Henry, Soccer
49. Aitana Bonmati, Soccer
50. Zinedine Zidane, Soccer
51. Steve Nash, Basketball
52. Adrian Beltre, Baseball
53. Derek Jeter, Baseball
54. Alex Ovechkin, Hockey
55. Luka Modric, Soccer
56. Alexia Putellas, Soccer
57. Calvin Johnson, Football
58. J.J. Watt, Football
59. Mariano Rivera, Baseball
60. Candace Parker, Basketball
61. Ray Lewis, Football
62. Shohei Ohtani, Baseball
63. Allyson Felix, Track
64. Mia Hamm, Soccer
65. Kylian Mbappe, Soccer
66. Jon Jones, MMA
67. James Harden, Basketball
68. Phil Mickelson, Golf
69. Jason Kidd, Basketball
70. Andres Iniesta, Soccer
71. Manny Pacquiao, Boxing
72. Shaun White, Snowboarding
73. Mookie Betts, Baseball
74. Lisa Leslie, Basketball
75. Xavi Hernandez, Soccer
76. Georges St-Pierre, MMA
77. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Track
78. Bernard Hopkins, Boxing
79. Bryce Harper, Baseball
80. Andy Murray, Tennis
81. Sheryl Swoopes, Basketball
82. Kohei Uchimura, Gymnastics
83. Chris Paul, Basketball
84. Lauren Jackson, Basketball
85. Kawhi Leonard, Basketball
86. Venus Williams, Tennis
87. Ronaldo Nazario, Soccer
88. Roy Halladay, Baseball
89. Annika Sorenstam, Golf
90. A’ja Wilson, Basketball
91. Aaron Rodgers, Football
92. Pedro Martinez, Baseball
93. Rory McIlroy, Golf
94. Ronaldinho, Soccer
95. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Soccer
96. Darrelle Revis, Football
97. Virat Kohli, Cricket
98. Connor McDavid, Hockey
99. Ed Reed, Football
100. Charles Woodson, Football