Jimmie Johnson never really showed his fun-loving side during his NASCAR career. But a trip to the 24 Hours of Le Mans brought out a different version of the seven-time Cup Series champion. Free from the responsibilities that come with his role at Legacy Motor Club, Johnson attended the iconic endurance race in France as a fan. And it was a side of him that longtime friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. recognized.

“I know this guy. His name is Jimmie Jam. You haven’t lived until you have raised hell with Jimmie Jam. What a Legend,” Dale Jr. wrote on social media, reacting to the short clip of Johnson that had been going quite viral amongst the fans.

The clip simply featured the seven-time Cup Series champion giving an interview while appearing to be in high spirits and carrying a relaxed and carefree demeanor. Some fans even suspected he might have been intoxicated during the interview. However, it could just as easily have been the excitement of being trackside at one of the most prestigious racing events in the world.

Jimmie Johnson did not miss the opportunity to mention Legacy Motor Club, the team he has owned since 2022. In fact, that was one of the reasons he was in Le Mans in the first place. “Our team Legacy in NASCAR has an affiliation with the Jota team, and so just here in support and loving being a part of this,” he said. Jota Sport and Legacy Motor Club share a relationship through Knighthead Capital Management, which owns a minority stake in the NASCAR team and has also invested in the Jota. So while they are not directly in a partnership, they do have a common link.

Although the NASCAR field has only seen Jimmie Johnson as a serious competitor and a team owner in the more recent years, it seems quite evident that he shares a different persona behind the scenes, especially when he is with his close friends. Earnhardt Jr., while talking about him with veteran Kenny Wallace, had also revealed that Johnson likes to keep a more serious personality in front of the rest of the world, but can be quite ‘wild’ otherwise.

“Johnson is one of the most interesting, coolest guys I’ve ever met. He has a fun sense of humour, likes to goof off, and gets wild every once in a while. He was with Lower’s, and he was with Hendrick, and a lot of things sort of quelled that sort of personality from really ever coming out. He wasn’t all that eager to showcase that side of him to the rest of the world,” Dale Jr. remarked on an earlier episode of the Dale Jr. Download.

So, it seems the “Jimmie Jam” version of the seven-time Cup Series champion is mostly reserved for close friends, only making the occasional appearance during special moments, such as a trip to Le Mans, which Toyota won this year, with Nyck de Vries, Kamui Kobayashi, and Mike Conway behind the wheel.

Johnson was only a spectator at Le Mans this time around. Back in 2023, though, he was one of the drivers taking on the legendary 24-hour race himself.

Jimmie Johnson’s 24 Hours of Le Mans experience as a driver

In association with Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson made his Le Mans debut in 2023. Competing in the race’s special Garage 56 entry, he was partnered with Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller. The trio drove a modified Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and ultimately finished 39th overall.

While the result itself was nothing extraordinary, the experience was unlike anything else in Johnson’s career. And during the interview that gave NASCAR fans a glimpse of “Jimmie Jam,” Johnson reflected on his favorite memory from that outing.

“Mulsanne Straight,” he said when talking about racing in Le Mans at night. “Can’t see much. In the distance, you can see the corner, you know, for the chicane that’s there. And the history that’s behind everything deserves to be.”

The Mulsanne Straight is 3.7 miles long and is an essential part of the race. Drivers in the highest category can exceed speeds of well over 220 mph before slowing dramatically for the next chicane, making it a challenging section of the track, especially when the moon is out.

But Johnson embraced that challenge, just as he has in other racing series, proving his versatility as a driver. Other than spending two decades in NASCAR, he has also competed in IndyCar, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the Supercars Championship.

But he has never enjoyed more success anywhere than he did in NASCAR, where he won 83 Cup Series races, including 12 crown-jewel events. He also recorded 11 victories at Dover, the winningest track of his career, while capturing two Daytona 500 wins.