Jimmie Johnson defends off-track activities, says drivers need to live their lives

A quick perusal of Jimmie Johnson’s social media feeds and one thing becomes quickly apparent: The defending Monster Energy Cup Series champion loves to cycle, run and downhill ski.

These hobbies not only help Johnson maintain his fitness, it also allows him to escape and unwind from the intensity of NASCAR competition, which contests 38 races a year over 40 weeks. But the physical activities the 41-year-old driver engages in does come with risks and there is a chance the seven-time Cup champion could injury himself.

This possibility Johnson dismisses, saying the tradeoff is worth whatever perils that could befall him while skiing down a mountain in Aspen, Colo., where he lives, or on one of the frequent long bike rides he’ll go on before or after practice on a given race weekend. Because if he weren’t allowed to do the things he enjoys, Johnson says then he might retire early like Carl Edwards, who surprisingly walked away from the sport in January.

“Yeah, I think about it and I think I manage my risk,” Johnson said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “I know that my team owner is at least OK with me being out there.

“You could get run over by a car cycling, running, you could step off the curb in front of a bus. I feel like every driver is willing to take certain risk for their fitness and to live their life. Me being on those skis, it’s more about living my life and doing something I enjoy.”

Johnson isn’t alone in partaking in extra-curricular activities where he could get hurt. Dale Earnhardt, Kasey Kahne, and Matt Kenseth are among a growing number of drivers who cycle. And then are drivers such as Kahne, current series points leader Kyle Larson, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who race sprint cars in their free time.

Whether it’s because of an accident on the track or an accident off it, Johnson has never been seriously injured. He’s started 547 consecutive Cup races dating back to 2001.

“There are a lot of drivers right now getting fit,” Johnson said. “A lot of guys are choosing to ride the bike, somebody is going to fall and get hurt. It just happens. I hope (the media) and I hope our fans don’t over react.

“We have to live our lives. We didn’t develop these out-of-control tendencies in a race car by sitting in a rubber room playing chess. We’ve got to live our lives.”