Jimmie Johnson reveals his true feelings about being branded “vanilla and robot” in the peak of his career

Seven times Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has explained how he tackled the claims about him lacking personality in his racing days.

Jimmie Johnson reveals his true feelings about being branded “vanilla and robot” in the peak of his career

Jimmie Johnson (Via IMAGO)

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson is one of the most accomplished racers in the history of the sport. He has won 83 races in his Cup career and has won seven Cup championship in his career that lasted almost two decades. JJ sits at the top of NASCAR’s Mount Rushmore alongside Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who are also seven times champs.

One of the major factors that helped Jimmie Johnson to stand out from his peers was his professionalism and the focus he has given to staying fit. His serious approach towards racing turned off some of the American racing fans and he was often deemed as a robot or vanilla, owing his supposed lack of personality.

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The journey of being that successful, it’s funny how people view you and look at you and my idea or my process of reinventing myself and becoming more and more serious turned off the American fans. They thought I was a robot. They didn’t think that I had a personality. I was called vanilla for the longest time and it was wild because I would read these chat rooms or hear comments from fans.

Jimmie Johnson said via High Performance podcast.

The comments often hurt the champion driver as he hated being branded as boring, or other derogatory comments that targeted his family. He felt really bad for being getting so much negativity.  

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‘You’re too boring, all you do is win and you say the right things when you get out of your car and your wife is beautiful and she kisses you,’ and they’re going through this list and I’m like, ‘God, it su**s to be me.’

Jimmie Johnson added.

Jimmie Johnson explains the importance of professional therapy

In the same conversation, Johnson also explained the importance of having professional therapy. He pointed out that it’s important to realize no one is alone in the world and seeking professional help to realize it is really important.

Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson (Via IMAGO)

Professionals somehow help you realize that you’re not alone. You’re not the first one to go through this, whatever it might be. They have tools that can help you simplify because it’s so easy just for your brain to go, and I have found that professionals help me finally put a box around it.

Jimmie Johnson said.

The comment from Johnson shows how much he understands about maintaining mental and physical health. This has played a major role in the success he has had over the years and that might be reason behind him strongly advocating for it.