WATCH: When Jimmie Johnson lost his brakes and slammed into the wall at Watkins Glen mowing the infield grass

Jimmie Johnson stated he remembers every moment as the car headed towards the wall at Watkins Glen in 2000.

WATCH: When Jimmie Johnson lost his brakes and slammed into the wall at Watkins Glen mowing the infield grass

Jimmie Johnson and the 2000 Watkins Glen wreck (Credits: Wikipedia and Reddit)

Jimmie Johnson is one of the most successful NASCAR drivers in the sport’s history. He has seven Cup championships, a record he shares with two other legends, Dale Earnhardt Sr and Richard Petty. Throughout his journey in NASCAR, the 47-year-old has met with crashes. However, one of his most infamous crashes was at Watkins Glen Turn 1 on lap 45. To this date, the motorsports world looks back at it as one of the scariest crashes. 

Ahead of NASCAR’s Watkins Glen weekend, NASCAR on NBC has been sharing a few throwback races on social media. They posted a video of Jimmie Johnson’s terrifying crash on the track 23 years ago. During the Xfinity race (Formerly known as Busch Series) at Watkins Glen International in 2000, Johnson lost control of the car after losing his brakes and slammed into the wall plowing into the infield grass at full speed.

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Thankfully, Jimmie Johnson got out of the car unharmed. He jumped out of the car and thrust his arms in the air to show everyone he was fine. The impact of his Alltel Chevrolet crashing into the barrier was reduced thanks to a layer of foam.  Both Johnson and NASCAR fans were happy that he walked out safely. The 47-year-old later revealed that he collected the race remains for keepsakes. 

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Jimmie Johnson revealed why he collected remains from the 2000 Watkins Glen race

Jimmie Johnson (Credits: Patrick Smith | NASCAR via Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson (Credits: Patrick Smith | NASCAR via Getty Images)

During an interview, Jimmie Johnson recalled the wreck and confessed that it was one of the few times he thought it was over. He thought that was it, but thankfully he made it out. In 2014, Johnson revealed to USA Today that he kept his racing memorabilia. He confessed that former team Herzog Motorsports wanted to demolish the car, but he rescued it and asked his brother to rebuild it. 

Jimmie Johnson stated that he saved the car from the 2000 Watkins Glen race because he did not have many collectibles from his rookie year in the Xfinity Series. Johnson said, “My 2000 year wasn’t all that stellar. The real highlight in the year was in that car stuffed into the foam. I guess there’s a little something to that (and) why I wanted the car.” 

Last year, Jimmie Johnson shared a video of his Watkins Glen crash on his social media account. He wrote, “Flashback to one of the most iconic wrecks of my career at Watkins Glen International… it’s amazing that 23 years later, I still vividly remember every moment heading towards that wall, and yet I can’t remember where I left my car keys this morning.” Though he ended it with a joke, it does not change that it was a terrifying scene for him, his loved ones, and the fans. As NASCAR will return to Watkins Glen this weekend, the fans hope it will be a safe race for the drivers. 

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