JUSTIN, Texas — Five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was out of his element Friday afternoon.
Johnson, who is in the Metroplex for Sunday's Samsung Mobile 500, took a detour from Texas Motor Speedway to visit Clara Love Elementary and honor the students for their success in the "Speeding to Read" program.
The number of books the school read was staggering, topping 80,000. One class alone read more than 10,000 books, with one student reading 834.
For a guy who is used to putting up big numbers on the track, even the driver of the No. 48 Lowes/Kobalt Chevrolet was taken aback by one child reading that many books.
Johnson certainly wouldn't give the students a run for the money.
"I think post-school, I've read about three or four," Johnson joked. "I've read plenty of emails and other things, but to actually sit down and read a book, it's been some time. It's staggering. That's just a huge, huge number. It's pretty amazing."
Johnson showed up at the school to chants of "Jimmie Johnson," but he entered the gym under the Tony Stewart Road street sign. Children in the two classes who read the most books received four tickets to Saturday night's Sprint Cup race as well as programs, t-shirts and die-cast cars. Johnson even autographed the programs for all of the students.
Well, almost all of them. One student was wearing a Joey Logano t-shirt and didn't want Johnson to mess up his program. Johnson helped him out, too.
"My man in orange over here pointed out early that he was a Joey fan and wanted me to help him find him in the book," said Johnson. "So I helped him out."
Johnson isn't a stranger to visiting schools or the Northwest School District. Last year, he visited a high school in the district as part of another program. He also visits schools in the Charlotte area and does other work as part of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation.
He realizes how important moments like Friday can be.
"Our mindset is trying to give back to our communities, where we grew up and the things that impacted our lives," Johnson said of he and his wife Chandra. "We came from public schools and we understand the importance of a strong school system. As time has gone on, it has really focused on schools. We think back fondly on certain teachers, certain schools. We know about the impact it had on our lives."
Johnson said he remembers going to assemblies when he was in elementary school or visiting the race track and dreaming of being a driver.
The program was created by TMS to encourage students to read more during the school year. Students started reading in August, and the winners were announced Friday.
"I could never have imagined how successful the Speeding to Read program would turn out," said principal Julie Nerby. "Students were revved up about reading all year, and the race to the finish line was full of competition and good times."
With the exception of the Logano fan, the students also seemed revved up about getting to meet Johnson, who also participated in a question-and-answer session.
It helps that Johnson is the driver most of the students have become accustomed to seeing in Victory Lane, although it hasn't happened yet in 2012.
"When l look back over my career, it's always been kids or older women," Johnson said. "I kind of missed that middle generation somehow. I've met a lot of people who have kids that are five or six years old and I'm the only champion. I think that plays into it."
Johnson had such a good time at the event he didn't even mind coming into the gym under a Stewart sign.
"It's all good," he said. "Within charity or schools, it's all fair."
