Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Jimmie Johnson is 'the best driver in this era'

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. will never stop believing his late father is the greatest NASCAR driver of all time.

But after Jimmie Johnson won his seventh championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway — tying Johnson with Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty for the most ever — Earnhardt realizes others might not feel the same way.

“He’s certainly in a lot of people’s minds going to be considered the best,” Earnhardt told USA TODAY Sports. “I’ve always felt like he was the best driver in this era — even better than Jeff (Gordon). … His understanding of car control, how much grip he has and how aggressive he can be and how to maneuver cars through the corner — he really has a knack. He has something special that a lot of drivers don’t have.”

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Earnhardt said it used to frustrate him when people wouldn’t give Johnson, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, the proper recognition for his accomplishments. He figures now it might be a lot harder to withhold that credit.

“Even when he won five in a row, people still weren’t willing to plug him into that conversation of being the greatest we’ve ever seen,” Earnhardt said. “But (now) you have to, because he’s matched the top accomplishment in the sport aside from the 200 wins Richard has.

“People that are here today and have watched the racing over the last several years have to realize what they’ve been a witness to. It’s pretty impressive."

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