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Chassis #48-720

Hendrick Motorsports Chassis #48-720 is a Chevrolet Impala raced eight times by Jimmie Johnson, including in his sixth NASCAR Championship winning season in 2013. Johnson also won the 2012 All-Star Race and the AAA Texas 500 in this car, which marked Chevrolet's historic 700th points win in the NASCAR Cup Series. 


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2012 All-star race win

Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 team rolled into the Sprint All Star Race on the highest of highs. The week before, he ended a long winless drought for the team and earned Hendrick Motorsports its 200th career Cup victory in Darlington’s famed Southern 500. After earning the sixth spot on the starting grid in the most exciting qualifying session of the year, Johnson hurried to the front and gained the lead on lap 16, ultimately winning the first 20 lap segment.

For the next three segments, Johnson played the tortoise and kept a safe pace in the back of the field, waiting for his guaranteed return to P1. For the final stop on pit road, crew chief Chad Knaus made a risky call and took the time to slap a piece of grille tape to the front of the patriotic Lowe’s Chevy for added downforce.  For the first time ever – a lucky lightning stripe was drawn onto the tape.

He emerged with the lead, and pulled away faster than lightning in the final ten laps to capture his record-tying third All Star Victory, Hendrick Motorsports' record seventh in the event, and a cool million dollars. After the race, Hendrick radioed to Johnson “Quite a week we’re having!” – after which Mr. H famously rode along the front stretch on the door sill of the No. 48 to victory lane!

 

 

2012 Texas Win

Fresh off a win at Martinsville which put him atop the point standings, Jimmie Johnson arrived in Texas and transferred the team’s confidence into the pole position. Fittingly, he led the first 48 laps, and ultimately a race high 168 laps.

Another good omen sat atop the No. 48 pit box – legendary driver, owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson was on hand as a guest of Rick Hendrick.

A rash of late cautions set up a battle of the titans atop the point standings and Johnson squared off against rival championship contender Brad Keselowski. The two traded literal blows, banging doors and sliding around each turn as they went toe-to-toe for a crucial win in the twilight of the season.

Finally, on a restart with two laps to go, Johnson powered around Keselowski and led to the finish line to earn Chevrolet their record 700th NASCAR Cup Series victory – a historic achievement that stretches back to 1955. It was Jimmie Johnson’s 60th career victory, and the first of a record-equaling four straight in a single event (in this case, the AAA Texas 500 from 2012 to 2015).

 

Other Races

Chassis #48-720’s first outing was at Kansas Speedway in April 2012. In recognition of Earth Day, Lowe’s elected to paint the car “Mountain Green” – a color from General Motor’s 1967 color palate, typically used on Chevrolet muscle cars. Johnson started 15th on the day and wound up a solid third.

It then ran both Michigan races, qualifying 10th and finishing fifth in June, and went from third to 27th in August – both in Lowe’s blue. In October, the car was prepped and loaded into the hauler for the short one mile trip from Hendrick Motorsports to Charlotte Motor Speedway. It rolled off the truck adorned in a MyLowe’s scheme for the final time, and Johnson kept it in the top five all weekend – starting fifth and moving up to third at the checkered flag.

In 2013 the car was re-bodied to a Gen-6 Chevrolet SS and again taken to Kansas, this time in Kobalt black, where Jimmie battled from the 21st starting position to ultimately finish third. The car made it's final appearance at Bristol in "Dover White" - a GM car color also commonly used on Chevrolet muscle cars in 1969. After starting 13th, Johnson was collected in a multi-car wreck that caused body damage to the nose of the car. The crew worked vigorously and got him back on track to salvage a 36th place finish.