Johnson has a record 11 victories at Dover International Speedway, a staggering total that started in 2002 and stretched to June 2017, a win that has stood for three-plus years as his last in NASCAR.
With Dover moving one of its two scheduled NASCAR race weekends to Nashville Superspeedway next season, Johnson’s mark seems unbreakable. But his farewell season could end in tatters if he’s racing out the string with nothing at stake and no fans roaring from the stands.
“I never wanted to have a winless drought or have a winless season,” Johnson said Friday. “But I’ve worked through so many of those emotions over the last couple of years and also understand that there are factors that I can’t control that have affected my performance.