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A17
Saturday 9 February 2019

BEAT TIME

In this Nov. 18, 2007, file
photo, Jimmie Johnson, left,
pours champagne on crew
chief Chad Knaus as they
celebrate after winning the
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
championship, in Homestead,
Fla.
Associated Press
Architect of

Jimmie

Johnson’s
success

starting

over in 2019

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(AP) — Chad Knaus got his
first big break at Hendrick
Motorsports when he was
picked to build a team
from scratch around a
rookie driver who had yet
to prove he belonged at
NASCAR’s top level.
The driver was Jimmie
Johnson.
Once Johnson was paired
with Knaus as crew chief,
the duo took off and
won a record-tying seven Extra hockey: NHL ties record
championships as the No.
48 team blossomed into with 8 OT games in 1 day
one of the best in NAS-
CAR history. Despite a
17-year friendship and all
their success, the strain of Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen
underperforming last year celebrates after against the Dallas Stars
was the final push toward
their split. Their chance to in overtime of an NHL hockey game
race for a record eighth Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.
Cup title together is gone The Predators won 3-2.
and each has new roles. Associated Press
Johnson will at last be the
leader of the No. 48, a job Page 21
he never had sole posses-
sion of under Knaus.

Continued on Page 23